


Dual Perspectives

by iliketotalk15, xoElle23



Category: Pitch (TV 2016)
Genre: F/M, Roleplay
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-09
Updated: 2017-02-20
Packaged: 2018-09-16 01:59:33
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 102,236
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9268709
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iliketotalk15/pseuds/iliketotalk15, https://archiveofourown.org/users/xoElle23/pseuds/xoElle23
Summary: This is a collaborative roleplay between me (Ginny) and Lo (Mike). It continues where the Pitch Season 1 finale left off.





	1. Find A Way

**Author's Note:**

> Spoilers: For all of Pitch's first season, but especially 1x10.
> 
> Warnings: Some adult language.
> 
> Follow us on tumblr:  
> trenchcoatstories  
> 

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Mike visits Ginny in the hospital.
> 
>  _You know I'm gonna find a way to let you have your way with me_  
>  You know I'm gonna find a time to catch your hand and make you stay  
> -Find A Way, Safetysuit

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tried to edit this so it's easier to read, but it's late so who the hell knows if it looks right. #AtLeastYouTried ~Lo

**Mike** Thirteen hours and seventeen minutes. That was roughly how long it had been since Ginny Baker went down on the field at Petco Park, carted off to the hospital, and nearly given her catcher a heart attack. Blip had been right. She pushed herself too hard, he pushed her. He’d been selfish, wanting to give her that bit more time in the sun to make her smile instead of being rational and keeping her long term health in mind. He’d made the wrong call and because of it, his rookie was lying in the hospital. And it was that knowledge that kept him from heading straight to see her after the game ended. There was also the fact that the idea of facing her sort of made him want to vomit. The idea of not seeing her though was driving him insane, and despite the massive guilt he carried, Mike knew he needed to get over himself and check on his rookie. Which was why he had finally forced himself out the door and driven to the hospital first thing that morning. After sweet talking the nurse’s station and receiving her room number, Mike took a single deep breath before knocking on the door and slowly poking his head inside.

“Baker?” he called hesitantly.

 **Ginny** Ginny Baker was a stubborn woman. That's why she was going on thirteen hours and seventeen minutes with no pain meds, despite be cajoled by the doctors, Oscar, Al, Blip, Evelyn and her mother (by phone) to take something that would ease the throbbing of her arm. She just couldn't, for several reasons. After the accident that took her father, she had been given strong drugs to calm her in the hospital and ever since then, she had trouble taking anything strong than advil. She didn't want to lose control in that way. It didn't help that she felt so alone without Amelia or her brother. She needed to be lucid enough to make all the decisions she might have left to them before. Not to mention she didn't want to affect her state of mind in front of management or their lackeys. And there was a part of her that didn't want to be drugged in front of another member of the Padre organization, not that he had bothered to show up in the past thirteen hours and seventeen minutes. Perhaps it was stupid of her to expect him, but the way Blip and Evelyn kept looking towards the door made her think that maybe they expected Mike Lawson as much as she did.

Mike Lawson. Yet another reason she didn't want to be drugged because she was afraid of what she would say to him under the influence of drugs right now. After everything that had happened between them the past few days, she needed to be able to choose her words carefully in front of him as well. Not that it seemed she would have to worry about that. Evelyn said she was sulking, which was probably meant only in teasing, but it had only made Ginny sulk more. Eventually, everyone had left her to do it alone and Ginny was left with just the cold, unfeeling hospital, even if it was one of the luxury suites meant for high profile patients. The only thing she could do was turn on the tv, find ESPN and torture herself with their never ending coverage of her accident.

Until, of course, Mike showed up, just as Ginny was beginning to let herself feel the disappointment of her catcher having abandoned her. Her head whipped towards the door, causing her to wince a bit as the motion sent shoots of pain up her arm.

"Nice of you to show," she said, intending for it to come out as a joke but the words edged with the real pain, both physical and otherwise.

 **Mike** At first, all Mike could do was stare at the floor. He knew what looking up meant, and he wasn’t ready to face the sight before him. The one with his stubborn, loud, tough as nails rookie in a hospital bed looking like Clark Kent instead of Superman. Truth was, he wasn’t entirely sure he could handle it. This girl would be the death of him, he knew it, but despite how insane she drove him nearly every minute she was around, he couldn’t help the way his heart raced even at the mere thought of her. So the knowledge that she was in pain and miserable because of his bad call? It was all he could do not to turn and run like he had two perfectly good knees.

His chance was blown when Ginny began to speak though, as Mike knew this was permission to enter. Keeping his eyes on the tiled ground, he shuffled inside the room and hoped to hell his racing heart wasn’t too obvious. Her comment stung, but they both knew it was more than deserved, which was why Mike didn’t bother trying to justify himself.

“Long line,” he mumbled lamely, eventually setting the McDonalds bag he brought along at the foot of her bed.

“Flowers are dumb,” he offered as explanation for the two burgers and large fry. “And everyone knows hospital food tastes like ass, so.”

 **Ginny** Ginny recognized the peace offering for what it was, but she didn't reach for the bag immediately. Instead she assessed him with serious eyes, arms still crossed over her chest, her injured arm buffered by a pillow.

"You look like shit," she announced after a moment, in a way that was almost accusing.

Why did he have any reason to look so terrible, after all? He hadn't spent all night in this foreign hospital bed. He hadn't spent all night being poked and prodded. He hadn't spent all night wondering if his career was over before it really began. Ginny finally reached over and plucked up the bag, peering inside of it. Despite herself, she smiled a little at the heavenly smell. She glanced up at Lawson.

“Thanks,” she said, her features guarded. She pulled the bag into her lap and dove into the food. Taking two big bites of a burger, she let herself fall silent, gazing across the room at Lawson, wondering why he had come.

 **Mike** Mike couldn’t help but chuckle a bit at her statement.

“Yeah, no shit.” He muttered, eyes still planted firmly on the ground as he stood against the far wall, keeping as much distance between them as possible.

Of course he looked like shit. He hadn’t slept and spent all night worrying himself sick with guilt. He hadn’t showered since rising off after the game, hadn’t eaten, and was still wearing the t-shirt and sweats he put on the day before. So yeah, he probably wasn’t looking his best. It wasn’t like it mattered. What mattered was her and her arm.

Waving off her thanks with a careless, “’t was nothin’,” he cleared his throat and turned his gaze to the window next to him before asking, “Any word on the arm?”

 **Ginny** Ginny eyed him curiously, now noting how he would barely look at her. If she didn't know any better, she would think he knew something about her injury that she didn't and he was trying to find a good moment to break her dream. The thought made the burger difficult to swallow and his question on about her arm erased her appetite altogether. She dropped the burger back into the bad, having only eaten half of it. There weren't many things that could make Ginny Baker lose her appetite but the potential loss of baseball was enough.

"No," she said, jerking her head. She cradled her good arm under her injured one, as if she could protect it. "They want to get another MRI once some of the swelling goes down, but they haven't ruled out Tommy Johns."

She swallowed thickly but her eyes remained dry. Tommy Johns would mean losing a whole season, at the very least. And she might never be the same. It was daunting but her father had always taught her to be tough and she would now and here.

“I’m definitely out for the rest of the season. They’ve put me on the DL,” she said, looking at her blanket covered toes. It wasn’t as if she would be starting any more games, even before her injury, but it still hurt. “I guess you got rid of me, no more annoying duckling.”

 **Mike** It wasn’t a shock to find out she was out for the remainder of the season. Hell, Mike would’ve been shocked if she wasn’t. Even if the injury turned out to be nothing more than a sprain, she wouldn’t be back on the field any time soon. Not only was her arm messed up, the judgment to let her play in the first place was being questioned. The heartbreak in her voice though, that was what destroyed him. He could feel the words ripping through his chest, knowing from personal experience how much it sucked to be pulled out against your will from the only thing that ever made sense in life. Of all the people in the world, Ginny Baker was the last that deserved to feel like that. Her final statement caught his attention most though, and was what finally caused him to look at her for the first time. It was about as awful as he’d expected- the sight of Ginny in a hospital bed, swallowed by an ugly gown with medical crap strewn around her was like a knife in the chest. The worst part though, was the look of defeat in her eyes. There was also, Mike could tell, something hidden behind a wall put up to protect herself. He could see it though. The terror in her eyes, not just that she might lose the game, but possibly seriously have injured herself.

“I’m sorry.” For the first time since arriving, his words were more than just a murmur, coming out strong, though pained as he spoke.

“I’m so sorry Ginny. This whole thing is my fault. And I know you’re probably pissed at me, and I don’t blame you. I messed up and made a bad call as your captain, and as your… friend.” He swallowed thickly. “But you’re not goin’ anywhere, you hear me? I don’t care what happens, we’ll get you through it and you’ll do the PT and you’ll make the biggest comeback in MLB history. I swear to god, you will. I’ll make sure of it, whether you’re pissed at me or not.”

 **Ginny** Ginny's initial reaction was anger, coupled with a healthy dose of confusion, her furrowed gaze landing on him. Why on earth did he think it was his fault? He was captain of the team, that was true, but he wasn't the only one who made the decisions in the Padres clubhouse. Al, Oscar, that new guy at the top. Above all of them, though, was Ginny herself. She had told Al he would have to drag her off the mound and she had meant it. It would have taken the entire damn dug out to get her off that mound. Even more, though, Ginny could admit that in some sense it was just bad luck. The way she had thrown that ball to first had been wrong and that hadn't done her arm any favors. Ginny didn't blame anyone, least of all, Mike.

Her anger ebbed away as he went on and her gaze softened. He couldn’t make any promises and yet he was. In a way, it felt like he was promising her the world, and the lump in her throat returned.

“Mike,” she said, softly, as if it was the only thing she needed to say to absolve him of everything.

 **Mike** “No, it’s true.” The words fell from his mouth almost without any control whatsoever. At this point, he couldn’t stop talking until it was all out.

“They asked me. They asked me what I thought and Blip said you were done, but I didn’t listen because I knew how much it meant to you.” He chuckled humorlessly. “All for a stupid no hitter. Like that’s worth what happened.”

Mike sighed and ran a hand through his hair tiredly. “I made a bad call, but we’ll fix it, Gin. I promise. Whatever the doctors say, we’ll do and then we’ll get you back to where you were- hell, you’ll be better. And I’ll be there with you every step of the way.” He rambled, pushing off the wall and beginning to pace at the foot of her bed. “I’ll go the PT and all the check-ups and if you don’t want me there then I’ll sit in the waiting room or you can just use my face as motivation to get through it quicker so you can get away from me. But this isn’t the end, okay? And just for the record, even if you hate me and even if it’s your hundredth season, you’re always gonna be my rookie. ‘s just facts.”

 **Ginny** God. This man. Her heart squeezed painfully in her chest when he mentioned how he had made the call for her, because of what it meant. It was stupid, of course, a stupid reason to make that call but that didn’t stop the butterflies in her stomach or the way it made her hope against her better judgement. Still, even knowing that, she didn’t blame him for her injury. He couldn’t have known and again, the decision had been made on several levels of Padres hierarchy, down to Ginny herself.

“Law-“ she started because his first name on her lips had been a slip of the tongue before. He rambled on, though and she fell silent to listen and watch as he paced, working himself up.

When he seemed to get to the end, she looked at him with a raised brow.

“Are you done?” she asked him with more of her usual sass. She waited for him to indicate he was before she continued. "Firstly, I don’t blame you for what happened.” She gestured lightly to her arm. “I was going to go out there, no matter what you, or Al or anyone else said. I wasn’t going to let anyone shut me down. Secondly,” She gave him a stern look in case he dare interrupt her. “Secondly, I know a lot happened yesterday but I gave a Mike Lawson-worthy speech, so I know you didn’t forget that I don’t need a man to rescue me. I don’t need you to rescue me.”

“And third.” She let out a breath that seemed to take a bit of the wind out of her sails. Her gaze dropped from him and a small hint of a smile appeared on her mouth. “I’d really like you to be there. There’s no one else I’d rather have next to me, going through all this.” There was a bit of uncertainty in her features when she looked back up at him, though also a hopeful tilt to the line of her mouth. “If you’ll have the time.”

 **Mike** It was nice to see her return to somewhat of her normal self, even if it meant the attitude was back. Mike took in the words she said, grumbling a bit in disagreement about things not being his fault, but kept quiet as she spoke. God help him, his little duck was turning into a swan, or however the metaphor went. She was growing up. But she never needed anyone to take care of her, they all knew this. Didn’t change the fact that, though he wasn’t thrilled to admit it, Mike found himself wanting to anyway.

“My speeches are legendary, Baker. No mere mortal can touch such levels of epicness.” He quipped, finally stopping his pacing and turning to her. His tone softened slightly as he shrugged, admitting, “It wasn’t too awful though. I’d even go as far as saying not half bad.” He paused a moment before slowly taking a few steps, almost waiting for her to call him off as he approached the bed.

“I got time.” He promised, hating the catch in his voice as he spoke and attempting to keep the emotion out of his tone. “You’re my top priority, rookie. You’ve got me.” He honestly didn’t even want to think about just how many ways he meant that.

 **Ginny** Ginny’s dimples popped at the way he practically pledged himself to her. It was nice, no, wonderful, to know that he was still on her side, despite all the awkwardness they had suffered through yesterday.

"Don't go doing me any favors because you feel guilty still," she warned. There was one question that made her smile dim somewhat and it tumbled out before she bothered to try and stop it. “What about Rachel?” she asked, looking at him straight on.

She had seen Lawson gesture to someone in the stands after his sliding catch off that pop up, had seen the fond grin on his face when he turned back to jog back behind home plate. It hadn’t taken more than a few seconds to find the source of that look, in all her willowy red-headedness. She felt a bit unfair, as if she was making him choose between the two of them but she didn’t walk it back.

 **Mike** To be completely honest, Rachel hadn’t even occurred to him since Ginny went down. She’d called a few times the night before, but Mike had turned off his phone after a while, not wanting to talk to her or anyone else in favor of stewing in his guilt. Did he have fun with Rachel? Yeah, and a part of him wondered if they could get back to what they once were now that David was out of the picture. Mike would always love her, that was a fact. But there was also a nagging voice in the back of his mind that always questioned what would happen if they tried again. It wasn’t enough before, he wasn’t enough, so would he be now? Would he ever be? Or was this just another placeholder for her until someone else came along? He couldn’t go through that heartbreak again. It nearly killed him the first time. Mike bristled a bit at the question though. Clearly she was making him choose, which wasn’t at all fair considering their situations were quite similar.

“What about Tech Boy?” he returned evenly.

 **Ginny** Ginny didn't look away, though she should feel embarrassed. Embarrassed at the question she had asked, embarrassed that he had thrown it back in her face, embarrassed that she got caught looking. She shrugged her shoulders. Noah had made attempts to reach her but Ginny had only thanked him for his concern in a text message. In their very short relationship, he had made her feel something. Wanted was the best word, but at the end of the day, as if she were too much of a prize to be won by over the top gestures. She bit at her lip, her gaze dropping to her hand as she picked at a stray string of her blanket.

"He wasn't wh-what I wanted...and it wasn't fair to either of us."

 **Mike** Mike was silent for a moment, unsure of what he was supposed to say. By now he knew what he wanted, but even the idea of saying it out loud was not only humiliating, but horrifying. That moment outside the bar was…well, almost…everything. His mind had been going nonstop ever since, but Ginny had made it clear they weren’t to speak of it, which was for the best. Did he love Rachel? Yes. She was safe, she was comfortable, she was familiar. Ginny was…terrifying. And a disaster waiting to happen. And basically turning his world upside down.

“Rachel is…” Mike began slowly, a small shake of his head a clear sign he wasn’t quite sure what to say.

“We’re teammates.” He said finally, eyes filled with pain and almost longing as he spoke. “But if you ask me to choose…” he let the words fall into silence as he locked with her gaze.

This was her call, it always had been. But he hoped his message was clear.

 **Ginny** Ginny let her head drop so her face was turned towards her blanket but when Rachel’s name came up on Lawson’s lips, her eyes flicked towards him, though her face remained turned away. The focus on his face, towards her, made her lift her chin again, something so stabilizing in being the center of Mike Lawson’s focus, just like on the mound. The pain in his gaze made her lips part in a nearly silent gasp. As much as his focus could center her, that naked pain in his eyes could undo her. She forced her eyes shut, not sure if she could think this through. Should she say yes to everything she wanted with him, should she ask him to throw Rachel aside for her. With her, things would be difficult. They would have to keep it a secret. Was that fair to him? Was it fair when he had Rachel, a woman Ginny knew he loved, willing to give it all another shot? Ginny was an unknown but perhaps Rachel was familiar, perhaps she was safe. Perhaps that was right. Perhaps a second chance with Rachel was his second chance at happiness.

“I’m not,” she said after what seemed like forever but was probably a moment or two. “Asking you to choose. That wouldn’t be fair of me.”

Potentially losing baseball hadn’t made her want to cry, but potentially losing Mike, she couldn’t let herself open her eyes for fear tears would leak from them. But if the pain was naked on his face, it was just as naked on hers.

 **Mike** It was a risk. The whole thing was a risk. Even talking about it now was a risk. To his career, to hers, to the team, to everyone. That was why Mike hadn’t said anything. It was why he’d forced those types of thoughts deep, deep down and refused to acknowledge them since they started. He refused to acknowledge the fact that, if he was honest, they’d been there since the beginning. Since that first moment on the field when she mentioned DiCaprio and smacked his ass. Since the club when he turned down her offer to dance. Since Omar announced he was in love with her. Since the almost-trade. Since the moment outside the bar.

It had been there all along.

“Ginny,” Mike swallowed the lump in his throat, heart racing as he was finally honest with her. “It’s not a choice.”

 **Ginny** Ginny’s eyes opened as confusion flooded her features and then her eyes opened wide, mouth parting in shock, at the look she saw on Mike’s face. Her heart leaped into her throat at what his face told her, but her mind made her doubt. Her gaze searched his face carefully, trying to decipher his meaning. “But I-I saw you and her…on the field,” she pointed out, dumbly, as if trying to convince herself and him that he didn’t mean what she thought he did. Turning her head away, she sucked in a noisy breath through her teeth. Was she honestly questioning this? It was difficult to do, considering the look on his face now, which was more honest than she had ever seen him, but she could still see that fond smile on his face as he turned away from Rachel in the stands.

It was almost cruel for her to question him like this, since she hadn’t exactly laid herself as bare as he had, but…

“Last time I let someone in,” she said in a small voice, referring to Trevor. “It almost destroyed me.”

She didn’t mean that Trevor had almost destroyed her but that the aftermath of everyone on her team finding out, the endless remarks and leering, the way she had been faced with the choice of the dress or the glove once more and how choosing the glove had made her so miserable, she wasn’t sure it was worth it anymore. The last time she had let someone in, he had lied and nearly taken both options away from her.

 **Mike** “Been there.” He said simply, referring to his own obvious relationship issues. It was all so much to process, Mike could tell her mind was racing just as much as his. He knew this wasn’t a good idea. He should have apologized like a good captain, assured her things would be okay, and left. None of this ever should have happened in the first place. But it did. And after everything he had been through in his career and his life in general, Mike Lawson was tired. He was getting old, his knees were shot, he was in no condition to run anymore. For once, he wanted to throw up his middle finger and just do what he wanted, consequences be damned. Which would be fine if it was just his career on the line, but it wasn’t. And he refused to screw Ginny over like that. But as selfish as it was, he also knew he couldn’t let her go.

“I’m always gonna love her.” Mike finally said quietly, the idea of anything other than pure honesty simply seeming a waste of breath. “But it’s not the same anymore. And I don’t think it ever will be.”

Almost without realizing, he wound up sitting next to her on the bed. Truthfully he felt like he could curl up into a ball on the floor at the present moment, unsure of how to process what was going on right now. But he was far too deep to quit now. Leaning forward, Mike hesitantly let his forehead rest against hers, trying hard to calm his racing heart.

“Gin,” he breathed. He didn’t know what to say right now. He didn’t have any answers. All he had was this moment, here, now, with her. “It’s you.” he finally whispered. “It’s you, Ginny.”

 **Ginny** His answers were honest and real, and she respected that. She appreciated it and god damnit, she deserved it. It only hurt a little to hear the place in his heart that Rachel would always have, something Ginny recognized as jealousy, but she didn’t blame him, she didn’t fault him for loving someone he had spent so much of his life with, that he had shared so much of his life with. It was a feeling her mother had echoed some weeks ago in one of their semi-regular always awkward phone calls. Her mother had always and would always love her father, but baseball had changed things between them, not, she supposed, unlike Mike and Rachel. Rachel, her mother and father and all thoughts of them flew out of her mind when Mike advanced towards her.

She couldn’t help but wince a little as the movement of the bed as Mike settled next to her seemed to remind her arm it was supposed to hurt, but before there could even be a slight withdrawal from Mike, her good hand was twisting a fistful of his shirt, angle all wrong, but keeping him close even so. His forehead rest against hers and she leaned into him, reminded so vividly of that night outside Boardner’s. It felt like forever ago, but it had only been two nights. Ginny’s eyes dropped to Mike’s mouth as she wet her own with her tongue. She tilted her head back ever so slightly so that she could easily meet his eyes. The look in his eyes made Ginny feel like she was on fire and melting at the same time. There was only one way she could respond and she tilted her head so the remaining space between their lips disappeared and her mouth met Mike’s. This time there was no hesitancy, no slow descent to be interrupted. Ginny let go of it all and kissed Mike.

 **Mike** While he ultimately knew it was for the best, Mike couldn’t help but hold a small grudge against Oscar for his shitty timing. If he had just called five minutes later… then again, who was to say they wouldn’t have ended up in exactly the same place? It seemed to be fate, the way they wound up in such proximity without even realizing, as if pulled together by an invisible tether between them. The moment their lips touched, any and all sensibility was gone. Instead, a rush of emotion and longing and pure passion built up over the last three months surged through his body as his hands rose to gently frame Ginny’s face. Kissing her felt like fireworks and home runs and no hitters… and coming home. There was a warmth she brought, a feeling of contentment and comfort and confirmation that this was going to happen all along.

Mike took his time with the kiss, savoring the moment he had dreamt of far longer than he would ever admit. She tasted vaguely of cherry chapstick and grape soda combined with something unique that could only be described as Ginny, which he quickly decided was his new favorite flavor. Finally requiring to refill his lungs with air, Mike placed several tender pecks against her lips as they slowly broke apart. 

"So, uh,” Of course he had to speak. It was practically in his DNA to make some sort of quip. “Thank god I left my phone at home this time.”

 **Ginny** Kissing Mike was an experience in itself. He was tender and soft, as if remembering her injury, but passionate as if he couldn't be anything else. His beard scratched against her smooth cheeks, and made her want to both press closer and shy away from the tickle all at the same time. All too soon it was over but her lungs almost burned from the lack of air. Even so, she chased his lips as he retreated, lingering over what he likely meant to be pecks before his moving lips forced her to really retreat and allowed her a moment to take a breath.

She should have regretted it; she should have realized it was a mistake. But even as her gaze met his and then skittered away, a touch of nervousness in the shift of her eyes, she couldn't. All she could do was roll her eyes and snort out a laugh, before dropping her forehead to rest against his broad shoulder.

"You're such a shit," she mumbled against him, her good arm raising so she could curl her fingers in his beard.

 **Mike** Mike could already tell this was going to be a problem. Now that he’d had that first taste, how that he knew what it was like to kiss Ginny Baker, he knew he wasn’t going to be able to stop. Hell, moving to sit in the chair next to her bed seemed impossible at the present moment. Despite the need to breathe, Mike continued to press his lips against any part of her he could reach. He dropped several kisses against the side of her head, her hairline, down her neck, ear, and collar bone. Mike laughed at her words.

“Is that what you used to say to your poster every day?” he turned his head a bit to capture her lips again, unable to keep himself from grinning against her mouth.

He took a few minutes to gently suck on her lips, his kisses wet and deep before letting out a small sigh against her mouth.

“Damn it,” he murmured, keeping his lips pressed to hers even as he spoke. “I think I’ve officially entered the realm of Ginnsanity.”

 **Ginny** Even with the throb of her arm (and the likelihood of smugness from Mike), Ginny couldn't help but shiver under the onslaught of his lips. God, she wanted him and even so this was enough. She made it easy for him to find her lips again, so pleasing was the slide of his mouth to hers. "For the last time, there was no poster," she muttered sullenly, biting at his mouth as if in punishment before soothing them with the swipe of her tongue. Pulling her mouth from his, she adjust herself so she wasn't leaning against him quite so much, settling back against the bed slightly. She kept her fingers tangled in his beard so even as she laid back, she drug him with her.

"Shut up. old man. We both know you've been using the official Ginnsanity t-shirt as pajamas for WEEKS now."

She didn't even care that the smile on her face was probably dopey or that her eyes were fond as she gazed at him. She didn't even care that she guided him back to her mouth by her grasp on his beard as if she couldn't bear to be parted from his lips for long. All she cared about was they were here, now.

"If you promise to keep your hands to yourself, I'll let you stay," she teased him, though with an undercurrent of hope.

 **Mike** It took most of the strength Mike had (as well as the mental image of Al in a bikini) not to throw caution to the wind and take her right then and there, hospital and injury be damned. They could only push this so far though, and they were already risking enough as it was. Someone could walk in at any minute, the hospital staff or her team or any of the Padres, especially Blip or Evelyn. So Ginny’s offer made sense. It did not, however, appeal to him in any way, shape, or form.

“No way,” he declined, unable to keep from frowning when she finally pulled back ever so slightly. “How about I get to stay and I don’t make you moan so loud the nurses rush in to up your pain meds?”

Mike dropped his head a bit and began running his lips against the shoulder of her good arm. “I’ll even promise to only leave marks that can easily be hidden.”

Biting softly at the tender flesh, he ran his tongue over the spot to soothe it before adding, “And I don’t bother with pajamas, Baker. It’s nothing but nature in my bed.”

 **Ginny** Ginny's features immediately fell when he declined staying. She didn't want to be alone, but more than that, she didn't want him to leave. Of course, she should have known better and her fallen features morphed into a frown as he went on, being, of course, his snarky self.

"I'd have to be on them for them to up them," she muttered back, darkly, even as she drug her hand from his beard to the back of his neck, more comfortable there as he nibbled on her shoulder. She had to bite down on her bottom lip in order not to satisfy his smugness by groaning as his tongue slid, warm and wet, against her skin.

"We're not in your bed, Lawson, this is MY hospital bed. You don't make the rules here." She slid her fingers in the hairs at the nape of his neck and yanked to pull his sinful mouth from her skin.

"Although, you've probably had at least half of the nurses here, so it shouldn't be anything new for them." And just to show him, and probably everyone else, what she thought of the idea of anymore of THAT happening, she pressed a bruising kiss to his mouth.

 **Mike** At this precise moment in time, Mike’s head was 100% Ginny Baker wasted. You probably could have asked him for his jersey number and he wouldn’t know what to tell you. He was completely consumed by everything about her- the sight of her messy hair, bare face, and frumpy hospital gown was damn near perfection to him, her smell was intoxicating, and her taste drove him wild. He wanted every part of her, completely, to kiss and worship every inch of skin ten times over until neither of them could even function properly. Accepting her lips back on his own, Mike returned her deep kiss, careful to avoid the injury as his hands blindly grabbed at her body. Her quip somewhat jolted him, startled with the harsh slap of reality. He was almost flummoxed at the remark. Of course it made sense that she would mention his playboy ways, but the idea that he would seriously screw around with anyone else when Ginny was an option was completely baffling to him.

“Hey, wait a minute, listen,” Mike pulled back from her lips, leaving enough space between them that he could properly look at her and convey his sincerity as he spoke.

“You’re not- that’s not what this is, okay?” he tried to explain, tone firm. “It’s more. You’re more than that. It’s- that’s not going to be an issue.”

 **Ginny** Mike manhandling her shouldn't have done the things it did to her, but something about his large hands rough about her waist made her skin grow warm. She hadn't meant anything by her words, so the way he put on the brakes left her a little jolted. Her eyelids rose from the hooded half mast as his gaze zeroed in on her. She wanted to laugh it off, dismiss his complaints but her heart nearly dropped through her stomach when he went on. It wasn't as if he were telling her something she didn't know, but it seemed it didn't matter how or how many times Mike told her how he felt, it still made her heart thud in her chest. Her smile as she looked upon him was fond and her dimples popped as she slid her hand back along his face, cupping his fuzzy cheek.

"I know," she assured him.

She wanted to tell him it was the same for her, that he was more to her than this one evening, than these handful of kisses and stolen moments. She wasn't quite sure how just yet. Instead she leaned forward to kiss him once more, hoping that could be enough for now.


	2. Stolen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which it is the morning after. 
> 
> _You have stolen my heart._  
>  -Stolen, Dashboard Confessional

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Some language, mild sexual situations.

**Ginny** Ginny slept slightly better with Mike camped out in the chair next to her bed than she had the night before. Still not great – thoughts of her future in baseball, thoughts of her injury, not to mention the actual pain she felt and the way she couldn’t sleep comfortably on her side which was her favored position, they kept her up just as they had the night before. Added to that were thoughts of what she and Mike were doing exactly (and thoughts of all the things she WANTED to do with him), and Ginny Baker had a lot of things to think about. But she did actually try to sleep, which meant she got a couple fitful hours after staying up late, talking to Mike.

She had tried to convince him to go home after realizing it was for the best that he prop himself up in the bedside chair. It looked more comfortable than any normal hospital chair but it was still a chair and she doubted it would be good for his back. He was a stubborn man and she couldn’t get him to budge, so when she awoke to the early morning light, he was still there, slumped over in the chair. 

It just left her more time to think about them, about what she had allowed for herself last night and what she would allow herself now that they had crossed that bridge. It made her incredibly anxious and she found herself practicing the breathing exercises her shrink had taught her in an attempt to fight off the panic attack building. It was almost a blessing when there was a perfunctory knock on the door before a nurse strode in, carrying meds. The nurse paused when she saw Mike in the chair, giggling nervous and making a show of treading more carefully into the room. “Good morning, Ms. Baker,” she said in a soft voice when she reached Ginny’s beside, sneaking obvious glances in Mike’s direction. Ginny nearly rolled her eyes. Of course, it would be a young, pretty nurse with a crush on Mike Lawson. The nurse shook the little pill cup at her. “Anti-inflammatories. Still no pain meds for you?” Ginny just jutted out her chin in response before obediently swallowing the pills provide. “Okay! Doctor should be in to check on your swelling in an hour or so.”

Ginny watched the nurse leave before she turned her head towards Mike once more, her eyes widening a little when she saw that he was awake. His lips were red and swollen, and she couldn’t help that her eyes lingered there heatedly, before she rose her gaze to his. “Uh, hey.” 

**Mike** Whether or not the previous night had happened the way it had (which, for the record, it did. Mike checked several times to make sure it wasn’t another dream), it was likely he still would’ve ended up in exactly the same place. Regardless of what was between them, Ginny Baker was first and foremost his rookie and teammate, and Mike planned to see her injury through. What happened was just… an added incentive for him to stick around. Not to mention the fact that the duo had stayed up into the wee hours of the night talking about every subject known to man- at first as a ploy to keep Ginny distracted from her situation, and then merely because it was fun and for once, it felt like things were somewhat back to normal. He’d missed this- hanging out and talking about nothing and everything with her, being silly and arguing over stupid stuff for no reason. He could talk to her for hours without really saying anything, and they could sit in silence without feeling a weird space between them. This was what he loved about their dynamic- they just got each other.

He awoke the next morning to a crick in his neck, a sore back, and knees that were not particularly thrilled with life at the moment. So really, nothing new. Mike’s eyes flittered around the room briefly as he remembered where he was, noticing the nurse handing over some pills for Ginny to take before the curly haired rookie realized he was no longer asleep. “Mornin’.” He greeted groggily, running a hand over his face in an attempt to wake himself up. He didn’t have a clue what time it was, but it was probably early judging by how hospital clocks typically ran. Mike bit the inside of his cheek, unsure of how they were supposed to act now. “So uh… are we gonna talk about this now or…?” He let his question drift off into the air. He didn’t want things to be weird, but this was a bigger deal than almost kissing in front of a bar. 

**Ginny** Ginny's features grew guarded at the question and she looked away from him. It wasn't as if the question surprised her, because she figured he would want to talk about it, or at least ask if she did, just as he had the day after the moment in front of Boardner's. Even so, it filled her with a sense of dread. This time she didn't call him off, though. Yesterday wasn't an almost. Yesterday meant she could no longer deny how things felt so right and natural between them, even as they crossed the boundary Ginny had sworn she would never cross again. "Do you want to?" she asked, still not looking at him. It was Ginny's way of giving him an out, as if that was something she thought he might want, even after everything that had happened between them. It wasn't as if she was used to this kind of thing working.

**Mike** Did he want to talk about last night? What would that entail? Discussing how what had started as an innocent visit to check on an injured teammate and apologize for a bad call turned into them making out in her hospital bed for nearly an hour? Maybe they could talk about how much they were both risking by doing this- both of their careers, reputations, the respect of their peers, the balance of the team, and the dynamic of their partnership on the field? Or the huge amount of trouble they would both be in by basically everyone on planet earth if anyone ever found out. Did Mike want to talk about any of that? About as much as he felt like jamming a pencil into his eye. It was necessary though. Even if they didn’t discuss all the negative possibilities, they had to figure out what they hell it all meant and how things were going to be from now on. “Probably should.” He finally answered, glancing to make sure the door to her room was shut before continuing quietly. “I mean, it’s probably best that we figure out… what happens next.”

**Ginny** Ginny tilted her head towards him now and then nodded her head. "Okay," she said before falling silent a moment. Her brow creased into a frown as she gazed at him. Even if it there was only a couple feet them, it felt like miles in that moment. Ginny knew she was trying to read him and in an instant she found herself annoyed, but not at him. No, she was annoyed at herself. She needed to step back on the mound. Her chin tilted upwards slightly, as if in defiance to the world. "I don't want things to go back to how they were. I don't want to have to pretend with you anymore."

**Mike** He’d been preparing himself. If Mike Lawson had to make a bet, he would’ve put damn near everything on Ginny Baker firmly announcing that not only was nothing changing, but that last night was never to be mentioned again. So when the exact opposite came out of her mouth without much time to think whatsoever, Mike almost questioned if he had heard her right. Was she really saying the words? Was it possible she was really… choosing him? “Ginny,” He wanted nothing more to spit out every bit of stupid sentimental crap running through his mind; to take her into his arms and kiss the hell out of her and never let her go. But he couldn’t just accept her words when there was a very good possibility this was coming from the fear that her career was over. “You should take some time.” He finally said, expression pained as he forced the words out. “I know you’re freaked out, but I’m not goin’ anywhere, okay? No matter what. So, you should think about it. Because…” Mike let out a humorless chuckle, almost amused at just how far gone he was for this girl. “I need you to sure.” He finally said hoarsely. “Because if you changed your mind down the line…” He wouldn’t be able to take it. As pathetic as it was, it was the truth. He’d been through too much heartbreak in his life, and Ginny was different. It would be bad enough to never really have her in the first place, but having her and then losing her? It just wasn’t something he would ever recover from.

**Ginny** It felt like rejection. Ginny was trying not to take it that way, but that's exactly what it felt like. It stung and she had to look away from him. Maybe he had gotten his taste of her and decided it wasn't worth it. Maybe he had just wanted to say he "had" the great Ginny Baker. She was flung back to that night in Texas when Trevor had told her he had been scouted and all she could think was that everything had been lies to get her into bed. She had realized after, after the pain of his betrayal had worn off, that it wasn't exactly that, but the initial sting was the same as she felt now. Back then she had run away.

This time she clenched her jaw and looked at him. Underneath the thin anger, she could understand why he felt the way he did, why he was cautious. She had called him off only the day only two days before. She had a lot going on; above all the possibility that her career as a ballplayer was over. "I don't want to take some time," she gritted out, petulantly.  "I know what I want. I've known what I want." She huffed out a breath angrily. "I'm not saying we're gonna be the next Kimye. I can't be your arm candy to events and shit. We can't-" She jerked her head as she did when trying to shake a mistake off on the ballfield. But that wasn't what Mike was. He wasn't a mistake but she struggled with how to make him see that.

**Ginny** Mike could tell this was hard for her, and he hated that part of her frustration was his fault. But it was hard for him too, because it was a sticky situation all around. And if anything positive was going to come from this, whether it was platonic or otherwise, they had to get through the hard part first and figure it out. His heart surged at her words. It was known by all that Ginny Baker didn’t do anything Ginny Baker didn’t want to do, but there was the possibility that what she wanted right now was decided in a storm of emotions and desperation for something to hold on to. The pathetic part was, Mike wasn’t entirely sure it made much of a difference. Deep down, he knew he would take whatever she was willing to offer. That’s how far gone he was. It was her eyes though, more than anything else, that validated the words coming out of her mouth. To most, Ginny was hard to read, but it had been Mike’s job to read people all his life, and since the day they met the two of them had shared a unique ability to communicate without words beyond just the typical relationship between pitcher and catcher. She meant what she was saying, Mike could tell after really looking at her for only a few seconds. She really wanted this. Wanted him. And it was that realization that, when she paused to search for the right words, Mike finally lifted out of his seat and captured her lips in a deep kiss. “Okay,” he said softly, hoping she understood this as his own silent vow that he was all in. “Okay.”  

**Ginny** Ginny welcomed his kiss, even with the morning breath. She pulled him into her until it hurt and framed his face with the hand on her good arm, her gaze settling heavy on his. She wanted to soothe his concern, dash away his caution, even as she knew he had the right to feel that way. "If you want that space, that time, I'll give it to you," she told him, her voice soft, almost husky but without any sexual intent. She kissed him and drug her mouth through his beard. "It's not what I want." She kissed him again, dragging their mouths together again and again for several minutes, the presses of her mouth edged with desperation and comfort, assurance.

**Mike** The more she spoke, the more Mike was sure he was living in some sort of fantasy world. He’s taken one too many pain pills for his knees and back and was having some sort of bizarre alt-world experience or maybe just flat out lost his mind. He’d wake up soon alone in his bed with Ginny refusing to speak to him. Except the way she was kissing him, the feeling of her body pressed against his, Mike knew could never be a dream. Even dreams weren’t this perfect. Taking in her words, he realized she was being sensible, or at least trying to. “Yeah,” he finally agreed. “I mean, it’s probably best. To think it over.” Taking a single step away from her, Mike gave a small nod and paused, his gaze rising to the ceiling as he focused intently for about five seconds before announcing, “Alright, I’m good.” And returning back to his place up against her. “Was that enough for you or do you need more time?” he questioned seriously.

**Ginny** He rightly deserved the mild punch to his shoulder she threw at him. "You're an asshole. You know, I am actually rethinking things already," she pouted, even as she drew him back in so their foreheads rest together. "I have the worst taste in men." She let silence fall between them for a few moments, enjoying the closeness for just a little while longer before she pulled back and settled back against the pillows. With a soft sigh, Ginny glanced toward the clock on the wall, knowing the doctor would be in soon if the nurse was right on her timetable. "We have to be more careful, though. I can't...nobody can know." She didn't think he would find that very surprising, but she looked at him with caution anyway. "I think...Bawsanity would be more of a...thing than Ginnsanity was." With her good arm, she found his hand and linked her fingers with him, before giving him a soft smile. "And I want...this thing...to be just for us for a little while."

**Mike** He knew before he even spoke that some sort of bodily harm was due his way, which was why Mike hardly flinched at the impact to his shoulder. “I was trying to be rational!” he defended with a small grimace. “This is serious stuff, Baker. One of us has to have our head on straight if the other is blinded by attraction and lust.” He dropped a kiss against her forehead before pressing his lips to the skin of her neck and shoulder a few times. He knew his breath had to be awful by now- to be honest Ginny’s wasn’t anything amazing, not that he cared, but they could both do with a bit of hygiene upkeep. Mike took her cues with a single nod, stamping one last firm kiss against her lips before returning back to his seat. “Obviously. The world isn’t ready for this wave of awesomeness quite yet.” He quipped, looking her in the eye to assure her they were both on the same page. Of course they had to keep it a secret. Hell, they weren’t even sure what was really going on yet. They needed time. “I like the sound of that though,” Mike murmured after a beat, his thumb grazing across the skin of their intertwined hands. “Us. Has a nice ring to it.” 

**Ginny** It wasn't as if Ginny was comparing them in her head, but it was a striking difference between the way Trevor had reacted and the way Mike reacted now. Perhaps it had something to do with age, but really, Mike had seemed to grasp the situation Ginny was in, the realities and and dangers of it much quicker than anyone else. In fact, Ginny was pretty sure he understood it now better than anyone else. The way he handled it, with his snark but also with an easy acceptance, willingness, it made her feel a little firmer in her decision to push forward with things, to let them see where they went, even if it was in their own little private cocoon. She squeezed in hand in appreciation, despite his wisecracks. "Sap," she said. "I figured there was a cuddly teddy bear under that grumpy grizzly." 

**Mike** It wasn’t exactly a huge decision of whether or not they should keep things quiet. If anyone found out, the press and general population would have a field day, management would be pissed, and the team would not only give them both shit, but probably break out into some sort of minor war over the issue. Mike could imagine them all sitting around the clubhouse, Blip with the gavel as they debated the pros and cons of letting their pitcher and catcher have a relationship. Plus, any notion of even a glimmer of privacy that was practically nonexistent already would be gone. So yeah, keeping it under wraps was cool on his end. The tormenting from Ginny, however, was another story. “Don’t push it,” he warned dryly, eyeing her through a thin gaze for a moment before letting out a breath and sitting back in the chair. “So what’s the plan for today? I know Blip is bound to come by at some point, so should I…?” he and his best friend weren’t exactly on great terms lately, and he wasn’t sure if Ginny wanted to risk testing the waters of their hidden relationship in front of him yet.  

**Ginny** Ginny cackled lightly at his less than impressed look, relaxing even more into the bed. His question, however, broke her out of the little bubble where a secret relationship with her teammate, her captain was the greatest of her worries. The MRI would be soon, if the doctor seemed pleased with the swelling of her arm going down, and the question of what the MRI would find was still a very open one. She chewed on her lip as he asked about Blip and she shrugged. Of course, Blip and Evelyn would be by; they were her best friends, aside from Mike, and Evelyn had promised they were back around lunch today, hoping that the doctor might have some idea of a prognosis by then. She was bummed to see the state of Mike and Blip's relationship but she couldn't fault either of them for how they felt. "Maybe you guys could bond over putting Humpty Dumpty back together again," she joked, even if it didn't much feel like a joke. She worried her lip a little more over her own predicament before tilting her head towards Mike. "Think he'll forgive you any time soon?"

**Mike** Things with Blip right now were… rough. Mike was pretty sure the man was still mad at him about the trade to Chicago, which he would admit he handled poorly. He’d been freaked out though. After being hit with the realization of his feelings for Ginny like a semi-truck, he’d acted out of basic fight or flight response, and his instant reaction was to get the hell out. It wasn’t the best way to do things, but he’d basically been blind with panic. Still, he didn’t blame Blip for being upset. But enough was enough. They needed to get everything sorted, if for no other reason than the team. “We’ll figure it out. Don’t worry about it.” Mike assured her, squeezing her hand once. He saw the worry in her eyes and leaned forward to peck her bitten lip. “That drives me crazy, by the way.” He informed her, nodding to her teeth grazing her lips. “Makes me jealous.” Mike paused for a minute, thinking over how they should go about this. “I’ll talk to Blip later. I should probably head home and shower at some point though. Get a change of clothes and whatever.”

**Ginny** Ginny gave him an encouraging smile. "I know you will," she said. Ginny had known Blip a long time and he didn't usually stay mad for long but she knew what a blow it had been for him to think that Mike wanted to leave, even if Mike had the right to want to find a place he could get that ring. Ginny was still certain that the Padres could get it, maybe this year, maybe the next, but they had all the pieces. Hopefully the team could come back together so they see what they could become. Hopefully she would be there for it. She gave Mike an incredelous look at his admission of jealousy. "Jealous? Of what? My own lips?" she asked before a mischievous look flashed over her features. "I wonder how you feel about my vibrator then."

Ginny cackled at her own words, nearly drowning out Mike's explanation of his plans for the day. "Sure. I'd like to catch a shower before the doctor comes and I don't really trust you to behave yourself in here while I'm doing that." She snickered a little more before arching her brow, because she seriously doubted he would stay behind if she tried to shower in the adjoining bathroom. "Guess you should head out soonish then?"

**Mike** “Alright.” Mike wasn’t sure if she understood that when he mentioned returning he was planning to bring along his overnight bag, but she would figure it out eventually. Her time staying at the hospital alone was over. He was already forming a plan in his head to make sure she stayed with him after she got released- someone had to watch out for her, right? She sure as hell wasn’t staying alone in her hotel room to recuperate. But that would all be figured out with time. He let out a small groan at her quip, again calling upon the image of Al in a swimsuit before standing up and answering. “Yeah, I’m totally out of here. Take a shower, Baker. You smell like ass.” After making sure he had his phone, wallet, and keys, he headed for the door, turning back and giving her a smirk. “By the way, you can go ahead and get rid of your little friend. I can assure you, you won’t be needing it again.”


	3. All Of This Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Detective Blip detectives.
> 
>  _No, I won’t let go. Not for a day,_  
>  No one can take all these feelings away.  
> I need you more and more each day.  
> Baby, I wish we could both run away.  
> -All Of This Time, Riley Smith

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Mild language
> 
> Spoilers: For Pitch season 1, especially 1x10.
> 
> Follow us on tumblr:  
> trenchcoatstories  
> 

**Ginny** Ginny couldn’t help the little whimpers that escaped her mouth as she tossed and turned on the hospital bed. She had changed into some clothes that Eliot had brought by earlier, a pair of loose sweats and an old Carolina sweatshirt, but the items were twisted uncomfortably around her frame from the tossing she was doing. Ever since the MRI, her arm had been throbbing hard enough to bring tears to her eyes, even if they didn’t fall. The doctor had MRI’ed her arm in about twenty different ways, which meant a lot of adjusting the painful limb and it hadn’t settled down since. She had refused pain meds still and was just trying to sweat out the pain as evidenced by the dots of moisture on her brow and the damp fabric at her throat. 

The brusque knock to the door before it opened made Ginny force herself still, trying to swallow back the pain, even as it made her sick to her stomach. It was Mike and despite the pain, she was happy to see him. “Hey,” she said, sounding weaker than she would have liked. “Took you long enough, thought you fell in the shower and broke a hip.” It was a weak joke but she was trying.

 **Mike**       After a quick shower at home, Mike put on a pair of jeans and his Padres sweatshirt and tossed in a few basic necessities into his overnight bag- toothbrush, a pair of sweat pants, an extra t-shirt, and the charger for his phone, and his laptop too just so they wouldn’t get too bored. He also tossed in a pack of cards just for the hell of it. Making a stop by the Chinese restaurant near his house, Mike finally returned to the hospital, duffle bag over his shoulder and the bag of food in his hands. The sight he found upon entering Ginny’s room was not what he expected. The beads of sweat running down her face mixed with the obvious pain in her eyes brought him to instant alert. “What the hell did they do to you?” he demanded, voice filled with shock and concern as he set the bags haphazardly on the floor and stalked to her side. “Hang on, I’ll get a nurse or something.”

 **Ginny** Ginny shot out a hand to stop him before he stalked back into the hallway and started to make a fuss. "No, I'm fine," she said. "All they can do is offer pain meds and I don't want 'em." She withdrew her hand so she could hug her arm back to her body, hissing slightly. It took her a moment to realize she had closed her eyes as well and she forced them open, knowing she wasn't doing herself any favors if she wanted to stop him from siccing some nurse on her, especially if it was the Lawson groupie from this morning. "Just had the MRI a bit ago and they had to move my arm a bunch to get different views." She turned her gaze towards his bag. "What'dya bring me?"

 **Mike** It honestly wasn’t a shock to Mike that she was denying pain meds. Ginny was the most stubborn person he knew, and even if she wasn’t, she was green enough to worry about the long term effect it could have on her career, despite the fact that Mike knew damn well she wasn’t the type that would ever allow it to get that far. Still, she was a grown woman and could make her own decisions. “At least take a Tylenol or something. I get not wanting the hard stuff, but you don’t need to make yourself miserable.” Glancing over his shoulder to make sure the door was closed, he pressed his lips to hers, biting gently on her lower lip as he pulled away. Returning to the bags he had dropped he grabbed the bag of food and placed it at the foot of her bed and began to unload the various containers of Chinese food. “Who said any of this was for you?” he questioned with a raised eyebrow. “Geez, self centered much?” 

 **Ginny** Ginny rolled her eyes and glared, even as he kissed her. "Already maxed out on the weak stuff. I can actually take care of myself, you know," she snarked at him. She eyed the food bag with interest, despite how she felt. There were few things that stood between Ginny Baker and food, especially when she had had to make do with the pathetic hospital food for breakfast. "You know better than to bring food around me and not be planning to share. And you better have gotten sweet and sour pork." She tugged at the blanket to bring the spread closer to her and plucked up a container, peering inside of it. "Ewww, cashew chicken." She pushed that back towards him and caught sight of the duffle. "Are you moving in, Lawson? Not sure this is a step up from your glass house."

 **Mike** Mike didn’t even bother hiding his own eye roll. She really was the most stubborn person he’d ever met. “I’m aware of your independence, Baker. Hear the Lemonade album and everything.” He fired back. “But I kind of give a shit about you, so just let me be a damn gentleman and say thank you.” Taking his place in the chair next to her bed he passed her a pair of chopsticks and the correct container. “Lo mein is over there,” he informed her, gesturing to a different container holding what he knew was her other favorite. Digging in to her discarded chicken with his own chopsticks, Mike saw her notice his bag and shrugged. “Figured I might as well be comfortable if I’m bunking with you.” He answered with a shrug. “Don’t worry, I brought along a poster to hang up for you so it feels like home.”

 **Ginny** “I figured allowing you in my presence was thanks enough," she retorted, tossing aside the chopsticks that he always tried to force on her and pulling out a plastic fork. She had a moment of confusion as she realized she couldn't hold the container and the fork at the same time with her busted arm, so it took her a moment of shifting to make a good resting spot for the container in her lap. Finally, she managed to shove a forkful of sweet and sour and moaned at the tang on her tongue. "This is the best." Both her brows raised when he said he was bunking with her. "I don't remember extending an invitation." The next words were mumbled out around another mouthful of food. "Should flirt with the groupie nurse to see about getting another bed in here. That chair isn't doing your back any favors." She graciously ignored the comment about the poster.

 **Mike** “And they say I have an ego.” Mike huffed. His girl was a piece of work, that was for damn sure. Mike paused and then smiled a little. His girl. He liked that. Pulling his phone out of his pocket, Mike casually glanced at Twitter, allowing Ginny the privacy to adjust without being stared at. He knew better than to offer her help, so instead he acted as if nothing was out of the ordinary. Taking a bite of his own food, he let out a chuckle at her response. “I don’t remember asking for one,” he replied easily. “Why would we need another bed? I wasn’t kidding when I said I was bunking with you. And before you even think about asking, the answer is no. You cannot be the big spoon. Deal with it.”

 **Ginny** "Is this the Lawson charm you bagged all those groupies with? Cause I'm not seeing the appeal,” she deadpanned. "Not sure how you're gonna spoon anything from the floor when I kick your ass to it." She tossed a balled up napkin at him, before gingerly reaching for the lo mein. Her own phone chirped from the little tray it was resting on and when she glanced at her screen, any mirth on her features disappeared and she dropped her fork into the container. "Uh, Blip is downstairs. Guess he's heading up with lunch." She looked over at him, not really sure what to make of the situation they were just about to find themselves in. But they were not really any different right. As long as they kept their hands to themselves, Blip wouldn't have any idea that something might have changed. "Good thing I have a healthy appetite?"

 **Mike**       They could’ve continued their banter forever, and probably would when given the time. However the chiming of Ginny’s phone put an end to the debate on sleeping arrangements for the current moment. Mike stiffened slightly at the news. Blip was coming. Great. Because that wouldn’t be awkward at all. “Uh, yeah.” He nodded. He would have left if he could, but he could tell Ginny wasn’t planning on kicking him out any time soon, so he was sticking around. He had just pushed his chair a few inches further away from Ginny’s bed when a knock came at the door.

“Knock knock. Guess who brought you the biggest burger with all the fries you can-” Blip stopped in his tracks when he realized Ginny wasn’t alone. “Oh. It’s you.”

Mike cleared his throat and gave a short nod. “Yup. Uh, hey.” He offered lamely.

“I didn’t realize you’d be here.” Blip stated, his eyes falling to the spread of food on the bed before turning to look at Ginny almost accusingly. “Am I interrupting something?”   

 **Ginny**     Ginny already had the pain, she really could do without the awkwardness of this situation. She glanced between the two, not really wanting to make either feel like she was choosing a side. She shot a sunny smile towards Blip, shaking her head. "Besides the best Chinese food in San Diego? Nope!" she said, shoving another mouthful of food in before dropping her fork again and reaching out for the bag Blip held. "Goes great with Big Belly Burger, gimme!" She snatched the bag as soon as she could, wincing a little, but digging into the burger as soon as she was able. It was silent even as she took a healthy bite of the burger. "Are you two gonna behave? Pretty sure I'm not in any shape to pull you kids apart..." Yeah, because that was going to make things less awkward.

 **Mike** Mike gestured to the food. “Gotta make sure the rookie is taken care of properly, ‘m captain, after all.” He offered as explanation. 

Blip huffed out a single laugh. “Yeah, for now.”

Mike grimaced. “Alright, enough, okay?” he rose from the chair and met the other man at the foot of the hospital bed, ready to settle this once and for all. “Enough with the backhanded comments and the dirty looks. You’re pissed at me, I get it. But let’s just get it all out in the open and be done with it, because it’s getting old.”

“You want it all out in the open?” Blip demanded with a glare. “Alright, fine. You tried to leave us, without any notice to any of us!” he exclaimed, eyes filled with anger. “We’re your team, dammit! You’ve been a Padre since you got called up and you didn’t even tell us you were thinking about leaving before you walked out! What the hell kind of captain does that, Mike? Hell, what kind of friend? You didn’t talk to me!” 

Mike could hear the hurt in his voice, especially at the last part. “You’re right.” He said quietly. Seeing Blip’s look of surprise at the admission, he nodded. “I messed up. I was a shitty captain and an even shittier friend. And I’m sorry.” He held out his hands helplessly. “I got spooked and I made a bad call. You guys all deserved better. I’m sorry.”  

 **Ginny** It wasn't as if Ginny was particularly eager to get between the two men. She did start a little when Mike got up, not liking the way they both drew together, Blip pulling himself up tall and challenging, just as he had at the game. "Guys," she protested, dropping her burger to cradle her injured arm. When neither seemed interested in doing more than just shouting at each other, she relaxed a little but carefully slid her legs out from under her so she could more easily slid from the bed if need be.

She felt for Mike, noting the way he seemed to slump and the genuine way he seemed regretful of what happened. Now she did stand up, taking the few steps so that she was standing between them. "He forgives you," she said, shooting Blip a look. "Don't you?" She nudged him with her knee. "Come on, we got hot near the end. We pull things back together, as a team, and we could go all the way this time. And by we, of course, I mean the Padres." He good hand flexed against her bad one, giving away what she meant. She might not be part of that 'we' come next year.

 **Mike** Mike wasn’t a violent person, as much as it may have surprised people to find out. Aside from the fact that he was far too old to be getting in bar brawls and fist fights, he just didn’t see a need for it most of the time. Using your fists didn’t change anything, words did. That was why he loved to argue so much, because it got results.

Blip stared at his friend for a minute. “I mean, I know you like attention, but next time you’re feeling needy just give me a heads up.” He said finally. “You don’t gotta go traipsin’ across the country.”

Mike smiled, offering out his hand to shake. “Noted. We cool?” 

Blip nodded and pulled the older man into a quick hug, slapping him once on the back. “Yeah Cap, we cool.” Turning his attention to Ginny, his smile quickly flipped. “What are you doin’ out of bed, girl? What do we have to do, tie you down?”

“Yeah Baker, get your ass in bed.” Mike echoed, the notice of her flustered hands causing his voice to soften. “And quit worrying so much.” He gestured to the pile of food on her bed, willing her hunger to work as a distraction. “Your feast is getting cold.”

 **Ginny** Oh sure, now that they were on the same page, they decided to turn their attention to bossing her around. She rolled her eyes. "I'm not forced to be on bed rest, you know. It's my arm that's broken, not my legs," The quip missed the mark a bit on the humor side. It was difficult for her to be glib about it, as much as she wanted to be. Her entire future rest on her arm and the limbo was uncomfortable, to say the least. She nudged Mike with her elbow as she passed him on her way back to the bed. "And you're not the boss of me here, Lawson." She gingerly and slowly climbed back on the bed, not managing to completely hide the grimaces as her arm was jarred. Her teeth dug into her bottom lip so hard that her lip turned wide as she bit back a whimper. She didn't immediately dig back into her own food, the roll of pain unsettling her. Instead she nudged the extra fork towards Blip. "Feel free, except for my sweet and sour pork.”

  
**Mike** Blip rolled his eyes. “Stubborn girl,” he muttered, clearly already aware of her refusal for pain meds. “And don’t go sayin’ stuff like that. We don’t know what’s wrong with your arm yet. Could just be a sprain and a lot of swelling.”

“Sanders has a point.” Mike agreed. “Let’s be honest, we all know you’ll do anything for extra attention, Baker.”  He reached forward to help her into the bed but quickly thought better of it, instead acting as if he was brushing nonexistent dirt from her pillow. “My captaincy extends everywhere. As long as I have the title and you’re a Padre, that’s how it works.”

 

“How many times do you tell yourself that before you go to sleep every night?” Blip quipped, grabbing the offered fork and digging in to a container of rice as he took a seat next to Ginny’s feet. He glanced around the room a bit, clearly looking for another point of conversation when his eyes fell on the overnight bag resting in the corner, frowning a little. “Lawson, are you staying here?”

 **Ginny** Truth be told, Ginny was a bit afraid of being too optimistic. She would much rather be pessimistic and be pleasantly surprised than hope for the best and be devastated. Of course, she was only human and baseball was her whole life, so she could couldn't help but hope, even as she tried not to. "Just gotta be prepared for the worst," she said with a shrug, though it was pretty clear to the two men who knew her best that she wasn't quite as laid back about the notion of what the worst could entail. Then again, if anyone did know what was at stake, it would be other ballplayers.

"Let's be honest. He probably tells himself that a couple hundred times a day," she added on to Blip's comment. She nearly choked on her next bite of food as Blip caught sight of Mike's duffle bag but she turned it into a snort, swallowing hard as it still went down the wrong pipe. "Now that would be taking being captain to a whole other level. God, Blip, do you really think I need a babysitter overnight?" She glanced at Mike, rolling her eyes. Ginny was a pretty good actress; she kind of had to be, but Blip also knew her well, so it was a bit of a toss up if she could throw him off the scent.

 **Mike** For a minute, the room was silent as Blip stared between the two. He knew something was up- he’d known for a while, he just wasn’t sure what. His biggest fear was for something to happen and Ginny get her heart broken and screw up her career at the same time. The girl was like his sister, he refused to let anything like that happen. And Lawson had made it clear in the physio room with Robles that something between them was building, even if he hadn’t realized it until his impromptu monologue. 

“Not a babysitter…” His eyes moved back and forth from them slowly. Ginny had always been a crappy liar, and it was obvious she was nervous about something aside from her arm. Lawson looked freaked as well, doing a piss poor job to hide it beneath a mask of boredom as he offered,

“Gotta make sure someone doesn’t Kevorkian your ass, Baker. I plan on getting a ring next season and your screwgie is a part of that plan.”

Blip wasn’t falling for it. He debated acting aloof and giving a generic reminder about team unity or something, but his frustration got the better of him. Bristling a bit, he finally spoke, his tone slightly bitter. “I know somethin’ is going in.” he announced harshly. “I don’t know details and I don’t want to, but I do know that it involves a thirteen year age gap and needs to quit right now. Because whatever the hell is happening between you two is gonna bring nothin’ but trouble,” He glared at Mike. “Which you should be aware of.” 

Turning to Ginny, his anger softened, but just a hair. “I will not let you make this mistake again.” Blip told her quietly. “Last time I couldn’t do anything, but I’m here now and I’m gonna tell you right now: whatever it is, it’s not worth it.”

 **Ginny** Ginny could see the suspicion in Blip's gaze but she wasn't sure what the best way to fend it off would be, so she merely took another bite of food. She snorted at Mike's comment, glancing at him, trying to figure out if he thought Blip was buying it. Blip answered that pretty quickly himself, not even making insinuations but coming out to state it flatly. She gaped out him and then laughed. "What are you talking about?" she asked, incredulously, as if it was ridiculous that he would even think something like that could be between them.

Even though he softened as he turned to her, his words only served to piss her off. "Let me?" she asked, putting her fork down. She huffed out an angry breath. "Let me. Listen, Blip, I appreciate you always looking out for me, but if there was something going on like what you're suggesting, quite frankly, I wouldn't give a damn what you thought about it." She looked at Mike again, hesitating for a brief moment. "I spend a lot of my life catering to the wishes of others, but I won't for you. Especially not about this. If something, or someone, makes me happy, then it's worth it to me. I deserve that." It sucked that she had defend something that had barely started but at the same time, Mike had always made her happy, and not much had changed between them just because they sucked face a little.

 **Ginny**     “Ginny, I get it! You’re hurt, you’re scared, and it’s totally justified! But you don’t have to go runnin’ to someone like this just because you’re scared!” Blip said urgently, trying to make her understand. “You’re not alone, okay? You got me and Ev and the boys and your team- and Mike too. But not like this.” He scooted a little closer on the bed and grabbed her good hand, his voice falling to just above a whisper. “Ginny, he will hurt you.”

“It’s different.” When Mike finally spoke, his voice was loud; firm. “With her.” He elaborated, nodding to Ginny. “It’s different. It’s not- I’m not gonna mess this up.”

“Mike, I love you like a brother.” The center fielder told him genuinely. “But I know you.”

“If you really knew me, you’d be able to see that this isn’t like that.” Mike replied evenly. “I know it’s insane, okay? I know it’s wrong and messed up and risky and completely stupid. But I also know that in the span of three months, I have felt more alive on the field with her than I have in a long ass time. And that when I had a choice yesterday of going back and trying for a second shot with _my ex-wife_ I didn’t even have to think about where I wanted to be.” 

 **Ginny** Ginny barely let Blip touch her before she ripped her hand away from him. "That's not what this is about," she said. Mike's words made her feel good, the seriousness and genuineness of them made her feel safe, but she didn't look at him.  Her glare was fixed on Blip. She didn't believe that Mike would hurt her, not intentionally and not in the way that Blip seemed to think. That he would use her, that he would mess up with someone else. "Blip," she snapped. "It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter how he feels about me. What matters is that this is my decision. Because it's my risk. Whatever happens, it happens to me. It's my heart, it's my career." She sighed, tugging a hand harshly through her hair. "I don't want this to be an issue between us and if something like that does happen, I'll take the 'I told you so' on the chin, but you don't get a say here."

 **Mike** Blip shook his head, his eyes tired as she spoke. She didn’t know what she was doing, and it was going to lead to her getting hurt, which meant he would have to pick up the pieces. Again. He wanted more for her than that. But she was a grown adult and despite how much he felt like her older brother, he could only stand back and let her make her own choices, however bad they might be.

 

“This is a mistake.” He said again, rising from the bed and moving for the door. He’d had enough for the day. However, despite his frustration, he still had to let Ginny know he wasn’t abandoning her. “I’ll call you later for an update on the arm.” He offered quietly, giving her a single nod before exiting the room.

Mike waited a few beats before his eyes traveled from the door to Ginny. “You okay?” he asked evenly, unmoving from where he sat in the chair with his arms crossed.

 **Ginny** Ginny's jaw clenched at his response. He just didn't get it. Despite everything they had been through together, he still didn't get it. She really did appreciate him looking out for her but at times, like now, he turned into a misogynistic jerk like so many other people in her life, trying to act like he could tell her what to do. It was like she was someone he needed to coddle, to protect. If she wasn't a woman, he wouldn't have behaved that way. She tried not to be too pissed about it because his heart was in the right place but it did make her seethe. "Later," she bit out to him as Blip headed out.

She sighed loudly in the quiet room, rolling her good shoulder and stretching out her neck, trying to get out the frustration that conversation had left her with. Her gaze remained on the door as she spoke, "Yeah, I guess." She let her head rest back against the bed, turning her gaze to him. "So much for keeping it between us."

For some reason, tears suddenly sprang to her eyes and there seemed to be nothing she could do to stop them. Everything suddenly felt overwhelmingly against her, like each decision she made, the world suddenly took away from her. She had wanted to continue pitching and the injury had struck, dragging her off the field. She had wanted to keep things with her and Mike quiet, then of course Detective Blip had sniffed them out and went all Judge Judy on their asses. Was she making all the wrong choices? Was the universe just against her? She found herself suddenly so sure that nothing would go right for her, that the doctor would come bearing the worse news. Ginny immediately rolled onto her side away from Mike, not wanting him to see, but she couldn't help the strangled gasp she let out as she tried to stop the tears from actually falling. There was no crying in baseball, after all.

 **Mike** Mike remained still in his seat. “He won’t say anything. Not right now.” He assured Ginny, his voice not quite cocky, but sure of his answer. Blip would keep his mouth shut for the time being if for no other reason than because he was so pissed. “He just needs some time to cool off and let it sink in.” Mike wasn’t entirely sure just how cool the other man would be, but he did know after a bit of time he would at least allow Ginny to do what she wanted and try to look the other way. It all came from a place of love, Mike knew, even if he didn’t quite go about saying so the right way.

The wave of tears didn’t come as much of a surprise. Mike knew it was coming, he just figured Ginny was waiting until she was alone to have her breakdown. Apparently the time was now though. 

“Alright, okay,” he rose from the chair and made his way to the other side of the bed where she faced, grimacing slightly as he crouched to be level with her face. “You’re okay.” Mike promised, reaching forward to swipe away a few tears with his thumb. He studied her for a moment, clearly thinking something over in his mind before letting out a breath. “Alright, scoot over.” He announced before kicking off his shoes and climbing onto the bed. Taking a second to get himself situated, he finally settled next to her and pulled her into his arms, careful to avoid bumping her arm in any way. “I’ve got you, Baker. It’s gonna be alright.” He murmured, leaning his head down to rest against hers. “I promise.”

 **Ginny** Ginny didn't particularly want Mike to see her having a breakdown, for a lot of the same reasons she didn't want any of her other teammates to see her in such a state. She had to fight to be seen as one of the boys and doing something as girlish as crying meant major negative points. It was something her father had instilled in her, always making 'little girl' sound like a bad thing, always scoffing with derision over emotions getting in the way of baseball. Since starting therapy, Ginny had come to realize that there was nothing wrong with emotions, with not being just a robot in cleats, but it was still difficult to show the vulnerability in front of a teammate, even if it was Mike who was more than that.

She turned over when he circled the bed, trying to hide from him as much as she could. Of course, Mike's stubborn ass wouldn't let her and she found herself sharing a bed with Mike Lawson for the first time, as he tucked himself in behind her. Part of her wanted to push him away, to spurn his comfort, but the other part of her shifted back into his embrace, even as she kept her head turned away from him. In fact, she even tilted her head even more into the pillow to hide more, though her body trembled a little bit. She bit her lip hard to stop any further tears.

 **Mike** She was doing it again. Fighting the urge to be not even a girl, but a person with feelings and emotions. Mike knew how hard her dad had been, after the many long talks the duo had shared between bus and plane rides, workouts, and endless phone calls. And he knew how much she wanted to be taken seriously by not just her team, but the sport as a whole. She wanted to fit in and not be The Girl; just a player that was damn good at what she loved. Mike got that. But this wasn’t the clubhouse or the field, and the situation was a hell of a lot different. “Hey, look at me.” Mike shifted slightly, reaching around and shuffling with her until he finally managed to force Ginny to look him in the eye. “I don’t think I said this before, because I didn’t think I needed to, but I’ll say it now: what happens here,” he gestured at the small space between them, “that’s not the same as out there. Whatever happens with this, stays here. You hear me?” He needed to make sure she understood. That it was different now. What they said and did as a Them was completely separate from work, and unless she decided otherwise, it would remain that way.

 **Ginny** They was a gentle request in his voice that had Ginny obeying, even if she still wanted to hide. When he finished speaking, she was silent for a few moments, her gaze flicking between his eyes, as if seeking his sincerity. She nodded shortly before leaning into him and tucking her head underneath his chin. She slid her hand over his abdomen, slow and testing. She still wasn't used to being able to touch him like this. She knew behaving like this, here, was risky but she couldn't find it in her to care, at least not enough to pull away from him. "Will you call me Ginny, then? When it's just us?" she asked, tilting her head up, so her forehead was against the warm underside of his jaw and she could breath him in where his scent was strong. "I like when you call me Baker...but I like when you say Ginny too."

 **Mike**    It was only the knowledge that she so clearly needed him that kept Mike from running away in pure horror at the pain she was experiencing. It killed him to see her so vulnerable like this- confused and hurting and scared. She was the strongest person he’d ever met, so seeing her crumble like this was not only foreign, but heartbreaking. Mike shifted slightly, allowing their bodies to slip even closer together and taking in the feeling of finally having her close. He let out a small sigh, leaning down brush their noses against each other, his voice gentle and completely sincere as he replied, “Gin, I’ll do whatever you want me to do.”

 **Ginny** Ginny snorted, her breath against his throat. "I feel like I should get that in writing," she muttered. She realized with that mild quip that she felt a lot better, as if leaning on Mike had helped ease her own burden. She curled her hand around his hip, squeezing in gratitude while pressing a kiss to his neck. "Thank you." The words were breathed out with intense feeling and gratitude, as if she was thanking him for more than just agreeing to call her Ginny. She tilted her face again so she could rub her nose through his beard, enjoying feeling him against her- his bulk, his skin, his beard. As her panic and sorrow eased, the urge to feel more of him increased and she flicked aside his t-shirt where her hand rest at his hip, so could slid her fingers against the skin of his abdomen, just barely.

 **Mike** He was really trying his best, is the thing. Because Mike knew how much stress she was under and how difficult this all was. She was emotional and overwhelmed and whether it was serious or not, she was hurt. The last thing she needed was some old man trying to paw all over her while she healed. But listening to her talk and seeing the relief register on her face after he’d talked her down, the comfort of knowing they were on the same page and being this damn close to her? It was too much. Finally giving in to his carnal desires, Mike leaned down and captured her lips in a deep kiss, his hands coming to frame her face as his tongue ran across her bottom lip. Screw being a gentleman, screw being appropriate, screw the fact that they were in a goddamn hospital bed making out like teenagers. He didn’t care anymore.


	4. I Found

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Ginny gets news about her injury and Mike and Ginny make plans.
> 
>  _And I'll use you as a focal point_  
>  So I don't lose sight of what I want  
> And I've moved further than I thought I could  
> -I Found, Amber Run

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Mild language
> 
> Spoilers: Pitch season 1, especially 1x10
> 
> Follow us on tumblr  
> trenchcoatstories  
> 

**Ginny** “Ultimately, this is far from the worst news we could’ve gotten,” the doctor said and Ginny had to bite back a snort at the way he said ‘we’, as if it were his baseball career on the line. He was right, though, even if the injury he had diagnosed her with was still serious and there was still serious doubts about whether or not her arm would ever be the same. Lots of pitchers had come back from the injury and gone on to have Hall of Fame careers, but there were also some who had not been able to go back to the sport. And of course, everything was different for Ginny. Her body was different as defined by her gender. It wasn’t necessarily good news, but there was reason to be cautiously optimistic, at least that’s what the doctor said. Ginny was finding that difficult right now.

“Thank you, doctor,” Ginny said around the tightness of her throat. The doctor nodded in response, glancing over at Mike briefly.

“If you have any questions. Don’t hesitate to call. We’re going to get you discharged now, so give us a bit to finish the paperwork and you can get out of here,” he said before making his exit. Ginny pulled her knees up to her chest, wrapping her good arm around them and dropping her face into her blanketed knees. Her injured arm was confined to a sling that was secured against her body, making it even more useless than it was before. 

“I can’t believe this is happening,” she said. “I’m still hoping I’ll wake up.” She pressed her fingers forcefully into the skin of her knee, as if testing to make sure she was awake. “I’m a ballplayer! How am I going to rest for four to six weeks? I don’t think I’ve ever been inactive in my life.” Her breath came out noisy and she felt stifled by the blanket or maybe just the weight of the situation.

 **Mike** The entire time the doctor spoke, Mike remained still as he leaned against the corner of the room, arms crossed and face stoic. Muttering a quiet “thanks” when the man left, he let out a breath and walked to stand across from his rookie. “You’ll get through it.” He said firmly, leaving no room for argument in his voice. “It’ll suck, but you’ll take the break and stay healthy, and then you’ll start PT and get back to work. You don’t need surgery, which is a small miracle, so this is the alternative.” He looked her straight in the eye, making sure she realized she wasn’t in it alone. “You’ll do this. I’ll help you.” 

The news of her discharge was also good, though it did prompt Mike to finally ask a question he’d been curious about since the moment he’d first showed up to the hospital several days ago. “So, where do you go from here? Does Amelia have like, a 24 hour team at your room ready to keep watch on you like a psych patient?”

 **Ginny**     She wasn't sure if it was Mike's words or the way her body had gotten into the habit of those stupid (or not stupid) breathing exercises her therapist had taught her, but she felt marginally better. It was nice to have someone who seemed so certain, though, who seemed to really believe she could do this. He wasn't bullshitting her because he flat out said she still had to do the hard work, but it still seemed to help. "A break, though. I don't even know what that means," she said with her lingering frustration. She wondered what he dad would say if he was here but that just led her to wonder how disappointed he would be in the injury and in her, and that train of thought wasn't doing her any favors, she dropped it.

The mention of Amelia startled her and she jerked her head at Mike with wide eyes. How had she completely forgotten about Amelia? Her...former agent. Amelia who hadn't even called, even if she must have heard about Ginny's injury. Despite the fact that Ginny had fired her, the silence suddenly felt like a betrayal. "I fired her," Ginny said, the words coming out as if she couldn't believe them herself. "So, I guess, I guess I'm on my own."

 **Mike**       Mike understood her frustration. He knew all too well how much it sucked when your body wouldn’t cooperate and forced you to go slower than your mind and heart desired. “It means instead of running your usual 46 miles a day, maybe you just run five. Means instead of doing your superhuman lifestyle, you come down and try it like the rest of us.” He quipped. “It’ll be difficult, but you’ll get through it.” And then, unable to keep the smirk off his face, he added, “There are tons of things I can do to distract you that don’t require the use of your arm.”  

He frowned at bit at the news of her agent. She’d fired Amelia? Just out of the blue? He had no clue what sort of thing could have caused this much animosity, but it was clear from the look on Ginny’s face that the whole thing was messy. They didn’t have time to deal with that now though, so instead of asking questions, Mike focused on the task at hand. Leaning in to rest his forehead with against hers, his words fell quiet as he firmly but tenderly murmured, “Not on your own. Not anymore. Get that in your head, okay?” 

Then, almost as if flipping a switch, he pulled back and got into Captain mode to focus on the issue at hand. “Alright, the place is probably gonna be swarmed with press, so we’ll have to sneak out the back. My car’s parked near an exit at the side of the building and they’ve been pretty cool here about helping me get by without too much notice.” He listed, more thinking out loud than actually making conversation before turning to Ginny. “So you’re just gonna go back to the hotel and stay there by yourself? That’s the plan? Because I hate to break it to you, but that’s not gonna fly.”

 **Ginny** Mike might understand some of the frustration, Ginny knew that. She knew how hard he worked, how hard he had to work to continue playing at the level he did, especially with bits of his body breaking down on him. Ginny had biology against her, though. She didn't work out extra because she wanted to, because she found it fun, but because she had to in order to even be on an even level with the men of the sport. "If you thought I was annoying before, just wait until you see me without being able to expend some of my energy through exercise." It came out glib, but she wasn't even completely joking. She was well aware of the nasty kind of mood she would be in the for the next few weeks. She rolled her eyes at his own joke. "You talk a lot, old man. Hope you can actually put out when the time comes." She was certainly hoping he could.

Ginny could see he was a bit confused about what had gone down between her and Amelia. The whole situation with Amelia and Will had been one she hadn't thought much about at all the past few days, even when Blip and Evelyn had kept her company that first day. She had been too focused on the present situation, which she knew sounded incredibly narcissistic but she couldn't change anything about it now. Mike seemed to be okay with letting it slide, which she was glad of because there was too much to that situation for a short rundown now. She smiled a little at his reassuring words, nodding her head.

"It might take a little getting used to," she admitted. Ginny had been surrounded by people for most of her life but there weren't many times she had felt as if she actually had someone. Mike was her person. She tilted her head forward to kiss him briefly.

Ginny's head was still a mess, swirling with thoughts, emotions, plans, scenarios. She didn't mind giving Mike the leeway to more or less smuggle her out of the hospital. Her brow raised, part challenging and part mocking, when he told her going back to her place alone wasn't going to fly. "Are you trying to score an invitation for a sleepover? Not going to just invite yourself again?" she asked. "And just what is the problem with my hotel room? I happen to like it there."

 **Mike** Mike’s eyes quickly went a bit dark at her words, the look on his face turning to thick intensity as he leaned forward to respond. “When I get done with you, your arm will be the least of your worries.” He informed her, his voice chillingly calm as he spoke. “Trust me, bed rest will not be an issue.” He accepted her kiss and couldn’t help but smile a little against her mouth. She deserved to have someone focus on her as a woman rather than a product, and Mike was thrilled to take on the job. “I guess I’ll just have to keep reminding you.”

Forcing himself to snap back to the present moment, because those thoughts and plans (and oh, he had plans) had to wait, Mike thought about how to respond for a minute. It was clear Ginny was still on edge about her injury in the first place, not to mention the Amelia thing, the Blip thing, and somehow she was still just as stubborn and headstrong as ever, but he still had to give it to her straight. “Look, I don’t know what the deal with Amelia is, but she did make sure everything was taken care of, and since she’s not here, that means we’re basically making it up as we go.” He announced. “Your hotel room is fine, but it’s gonna be swarmed with press and with everything going on, it’s not a good idea for you to be alone. You already said you’re gonna go crazy being held back, you wanna go insane from isolation too?”

He paused a moment before continuing. “I’ve got a big house that’s empty.” He finally spoke again, now a bit hesitant as he realized the weight of what he was about to offer. “It doesn’t have to be- I mean, I have a guest room.” Mike blurted. “Or hell, you can take my bed and I’ll sleep in the guest room if you want. It’s a really nice guest room.”

 **Ginny**     It was on the tip of her tongue to argue that she could take care of herself. Despite what everyone seemed to believe, Ginny had done that before. Sure, there had always been someone helping- her father, her brother, Amelia. But she could pick out her own clothes in the morning, she could get three square meals a day, she did know how to use a debit card. But of course her life was so much more than that right now, or perhaps it had always been, but even more so now. Press didn't bother much in the minor leagues, at least not until Amelia Slater spun a little story about a girl who could pitch. She was on the world stage here in San Diego and she was amazed at how she could forget it. Mike hadn't but Mike was perhaps most used to it than she was. He was used to navigating it, just like Amelia had been. That's what Amelia had done for her, helped her navigate. Mike was just being practical. "And here I thought you were just trying to get me alone to have your wicked way with me," she said, drolly, a little disappointed that wasn't the whole endgame after all.

She pushed a finger against his chest. "I'm not going to become a hermit. It's not like just because I can't exercise or play baseball, that I'm going to be a recluse and spend the next few weeks bottling my urine," she told him. "I do have friends on the team besides you and Blip. I know you liked me first and all, were damn fawning over me when I first got on the team, but I know some of the guys like me more than you now."

 

Ginny's hand had found itself cupping his cheek and she stroking her fingers through his beard as she grinned at the blabbering man Mike had turned into. "You think I really trust you to behave yourself if you got me under the same roof for a night," she teased him. The thought of spending the night with Mike away from the team, away from this hotel room, it made heat warm her belly.

 **Mike**       Mike’s eyes went wide as she damn near laid out the law in front of him. He knew she was bossy and stubborn and proud, but apparently she had forgotten who she was talking to. “Is that how you think this is gonna work?” he questioned in shock. Shaking his head back and forth, a small growl escaped his lips as he stalked forward and quickly lifted her into his arms, his hands coming to rest under her perfect ass, back against the wall, forcing her legs around his waist. “Let me explain something to you, rookie. If you wanted a guy that behaved himself, you wouldn’t have picked me.” He said darkly, eyes clouded with lust as he spoke. “And I’m more than aware of how popular you are. I’ve given plenty of dirty looks because of it.” Leaning in to press his lips against her ear, he continued. “And just for all of that, you can forget about the guest room. You’re bunking with me, and I intend to prove to you that nobody likes you more than me. Over and over and over again.”

 **Ginny**     Considering how high the stakes were for her, Ginny had never suspected she would particularly enjoy public (or semi-public) displays of attraction. Anyone could walk into the hospital room now and catch her pressed up against the wall with Mike between her legs as they wrapped around his hips. Her tongue kept darting out to wet her own lips as she stared at him with her own darkened gaze. Considering how she felt about men and their whole protect Orphan Annie behavior that tended to pop up around her, she also didn't think that the way he bossed (or tried to) her around would be much of a turn on either, but she was apparently having to revisit that idea as well. She giggled, a little nervous but also incredibly turned on by the visuals he was presenting. After a moment, she nudged him with her good arm (she didn't fail to notice that even as he was manhandling her against a wall, he was still incredibly careful when it came to her injured arm) until he backed off. When her feet were on solid ground again, she pushed a hand on his chest, just enough to put some space between them. "I dunno. I think I deserve a little romance before I put out," she said, only the blink of a smile indicating the teasing.

 **Mike** Mike knew what he was doing was risky. Hell, the whole thing with Ginny was risky. But being so careless about his affection (and libido) in such a public place was not a smart move. Which was why he didn’t fight it when Ginny pulled back, instead stealing a quick kiss from her lips before releasing her. “Forgive me for not having a horse and carriage on speed dial. I’ve been a little preoccupied.” Mike said dryly. “But if romance is what you want, you better prepare yourself.” He warned, “Because I will romance the hell out of you. I’m talking full on sweeping you off your feet. Prince Charming’s got nothing on me.”

 **Ginny**     Ginny was glad she was on her way out of the hospital. She was getting tired of pushing him away, even if now it was just physically. She snorted at his grand idea of romance. "I'm sure the groupies don't have high standards," she retorted. To be honest, though, it wouldn't surprise her if he was good at romance and not just the cliche shit that groupies ate up when they pretended not to be groupies. Rachel was a smart woman and Ginny wasn't sure she was as easily swayed by chocolate and flowers as groupies. Then there was also Amelia. Ginny really needed to stop thinking of his past relationships, years long or otherwise. Truth be told, Ginny had even less experience in the romance department than she did in the sex department. And Noah's over the top gestures had made her feel uncomfortable, as if he tried too hard. Even if things weren't simple between her and Mike, they had usually been easy, or perhaps natural was a better word. "Sorry, I kicked the last Charming wannabe to the curb." Ginny brushed past Mike to the bathroom to collect some of the toiletries that had been brought for her. "So, are you going to let me back to my place unhindered or should I have security waiting to put you out on your ass?" she asked as she came back into the room. There was a lot of appeal in staying with Mike but Ginny also valued her space because it was hers.

 **Mike** Mike snorted. “The last wannabe isn’t even in the same orbit as me. Name the day and I’ll have you swooning.” He promised. There was a bit of teasing in there, sure, just because it was fun, but he was also incredibly serious. The idea of really doing the romance thing with Ginny, of wooing her and being stupidly cliché was actually quite appealing to him. Granted, so was fucking her senseless in the back seat of his car, but still. He’d basically been head over heels for this girl since she first arrived, even if he didn’t realize it at first, so Mike was on board for everything on the spectrum. He wanted it all with her.  The idea of her going back to the hotel still didn’t sit right with him. “Your place is gonna be swarmed, Gin.” He said wearily. “I know you want to be independent, but you’re hurt and no matter what’s happening with me or Blip or Amelia or anyone else, you were never gonna be doing this alone.” Mike reasoned. “So it’s your call where you go, but I’m going with you.” 

 **Ginny**     Ginny tapped her toothbrush against her chin, regarding him for a moment, before shoving it in the little toiletry kit. "You just want to make me jealous with the groupies lined up outside your place, don't you?" she responded with a cheeky grin. She deposited her items in the bag Eliot had brought her, a bit awkwardly as she did it with one arm, before moving through the room for the other items that had made their way throughout the room, mostly things Eliot had brought her, but also a few things brought to her by other team mates or staffers. "We'll still have to hit my place soon because I'm going to need more than this." She toed the bag to indicate the few possessions and changes of clothes in it. "If you make any comments about not needing clothes at your place, so help me, I will have security toss you out and I'll make sure all the paps get front row seats." She arched a brow at him to see if he would dare. If Amelia were here maybe she wouldn't have to worry about sneaking in to her own place, because Amelia was good about getting her in and out of places. She worried her lip a little, trying to think through the logistics. "If you go to my place with me, the press will see you coming to my place and then not leaving, or if we just stop by, they will see me coming and leaving with you."

 **Mike** “The groupies can surround the place; the only thing that matters is who’s actually allowed inside. And I got news for you rookie: that privilege only belongs to you.” Mike said matter-of-factly. The random hook-ups were fun, he wouldn’t lie, but compared to getting the one thing he actually wanted? The thing that actually meant something beyond just a body and distraction? There wasn’t even a question.  He hated that she had a point. The worst part about this whole thing was that if Amelia was around, she would’ve had the whole thing handled and ready days ago. But that wasn’t happening, and it appeared Mike was going to have to take the lead on this one. “Okay, I’ve got a plan.” Mike said finally after a few minutes of thinking. “We’ll get Evelyn to go back to the hotel with you. You know she’ll do it. From there, you’ll either have to make up something or tell her what’s going on. Then, I can either come to you or you can come to my place. Which has a Jacuzzi and a really great shower, if I didn’t mention so earlier.” 

 **Ginny** Ginny wasn't sure she would ever get tired of teasing him about the groupies, even if only because he seemed to take every time as a chance to reiterate how she was the only one he wanted. Quite frankly, Ginny wasn't actually worried about the groupies, which seemed weird, but it was just true. She ducked her head away from him but he probably wouldn't miss the pleased, soft smile that graced her features as she did so.

Ginny's thoughts were of a similar vein as Mike's when it came to Amelia. Amelia had always taken care of these sorts of things so that Ginny could focus on the game as much as possible. That was what agents were for, after all, wasn't it? Ginny had always known that Amelia went above and beyond but she had perhaps underestimated just how much Amelia had made her the focus of her life. It was a bit of a sobering thought, but Ginny didn't want to linger on it too long, not right now. When things had settled down, she could think it over more. For now, she had Captain Mike. "It wouldn't surprise me if she already knew. Her and Blip suck at keeping secrets between them," she said. "Then again, I haven't gotten a call with a screaming Evie on the other end, so maybe he's hoping you'll screw up before he tells her." Or maybe the thing with Ginny's brother had driven more of a wedge than she thought. Another thing she didn't want to think about right now. Her head dropped forward so her chin was resting against her chest as she breathed out a heavy sigh. She didn't want to put more of her problems at Ev's feet, not after her brother had very nearly stolen from her. She shifted the weight between her feet, wondering if she could get Mike to go along with her going by herself. God. Evelyn, Blip, Amelia. She really was a burden on everyone around her. Really, she would have loved to focus on the appealing aspects of crashing with Mike, like whether that shower was big enough for two, but this drew her focus. She didn't really want to lie to Mike either, but she wasn't ready to discuss everything that made this decision so difficult. "You know what? I can handle it on my own," she said, her head raising and her chin tilting up to show confidence.

 **Mike**       Mike sighed. He realized fully that she wanted to tackle this alone. To show everyone just how strong and capable and independent she was. But the simple truth of the matter was that there was a large possibility she couldn’t do it. Not because she was a woman or lesser of a person, but because the situation was insane for one person to handle alone. Chewing on his bottom lip, Mike slowly made his way over to where she stood and took her in his arms, letting his chin rest atop her head. “I’m not gonna force you to do anything, because I know I can’t and you’re your own person, which I respect.” He said finally, his voice soft as he spoke, almost defeated. “I’m not gonna tell you what to do. But I am asking.” Mike fully realized how much of a wuss this entire thing made him look, but her safety was more important than his manly pride. “I’m asking you to let someone in, Ginny. Even if it’s not me. Just don’t do this alone, because I l- care about you.” 

 **Ginny**     It might be a surprise but Ginny didn't fight as he put him arms around her. In fact, she welcomed him with an open hand, sliding it over his abdomen as she leaned slightly into him. It was easier and it was comfortable, even as part of her wanted to stand apart, to show her seriousness. It didn't seem necessary with Mike, at least not as much as it was with others. He recognized her as that strong, independent, powerful woman already.

She was pretty sure she hallucinated him almost saying the l word, because that was absurd, right? Luckily her face was still tucked under his chin because as good an actress as she was, her eyes nearly popped out of her sockets and she felt it. She was quiet a moment, debating with herself if she had actually heard it, but she hoped it merely came off as thinking through the options. "Things are complicated with Ev right now," she admitted. She knew it was stupid. Ev hadn't shown any indication she would turn her back on Ginny because of what Will had done, or tried to do. Ginny knew Ev wouldn't do that, but it didn't mean Ginny wanted to lay any more Baker family problems at her feet right now. "There's nothing I need there right away. Let's just go home." She pushed away from him. "I mean your house."

 **Mike** Mike was pretty sure his heart stopped for a few seconds after he finished speaking. Thank god Ginny’s face was still against his chest. His eyes were probably the size of home plate right then. He was pretty damn sure he loved her, but actually saying it out loud was far beyond even their current realm of insanity. Clearly the best plan was to act as if it never happened. So he kept his mouth shut and sent up a silent prayer of thanks when Ginny didn’t mention it.  He knew better than to ask about Evelyn at the current moment. It was obvious Ginny had a lot on her plate right now, and the hospital was far from the best place to discuss anything. What she needed was a few days to relax and sort everything out in her head, which was exactly what Mike planned to arrange. He felt his heart swell when she referred to his place as home. He really liked the sound of that. “Jesus, I’m crazy about you.” He muttered, almost unaware he had said the words aloud. Instead, he focused on the victory she’d just given him. Mike was smart enough not to mention it though. Instead, he simply extended a sincere smile and nodded. “Let’s go.”

 **Ginny** Ginny wish she could have taunted him for being a sap but the smile on her features when he said he was crazy about her was probably pretty sappy in itself. So instead, she offered a light knuckle sandwich to his gut, more of a brush to his stomach than anything. "Nah, I think you're just crazy," she said, before wandering off to gather the rest of her things.


	5. Your Body Is A Wonderland

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which sex.
> 
>  _Damn, baby_  
>  You frustrate me  
> I know you're mine all mine all mine  
> But you look so good it hurts sometimes  
> Your body is a wonderland  
> -Your Body Is A Wonderland, John Mayer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Explicit sex, mild Daddy kink, very mild and brief D/S
> 
> Spoilers: Pitch season 1, to be safe. 1x10 especially.
> 
> Follow us on tumblr:  
> trenchcoatstories  
> 

**Mike** Escaping the hospital had, as expected, been somewhat of a logistical nightmare. Somehow despite their best efforts, the press had managed to find out about Ginny’s release date, and was surrounding the building by the time all of the paperwork had been finished. Luckily, despite not being Amelia-level of prepared, Mike was able to use his own notoriety to get some security to help them out. The reporters and media were in full force, but they weren’t able to get close enough to touch Ginny or Mike, which was really the best they could ask for. After a few extra minutes of driving and some previously discovered shortcuts, Mike managed to lose the cars behind him and, finally, was able to enter the security code to open the gate to his property. He led Ginny in through the garage door, flipping on lights as he went. “Pretty simple layout. Bathroom’s over there, kitchen, living room,” Mike listed, pointing things out as he carried Ginny’s bags inside. “There are three bedrooms upstairs and two more bathrooms. Uh, you can, uh, take your pick.” He said awkwardly, scratching the back of his head. He didn’t want to just assume she would be sleeping in his bed, or try to make her think he expected anything, even if she did decide to bunk with him. “Housekeeper comes on Thursdays, so if you want your laundry done just leave it in a basket by the door. And… that’s pretty much it, I think.”

 **Ginny**     Ginny had heard stories about Mike's home, his house of glass, but she had never actually been there before. It wasn't her style but it was impressive and she made awed noises in the appropriate places as he showed her through the house. Her gaze got stuck on the pool and accompanying Jacuzzi she could see through the living room window, and she wished she had a bathing suit to make use of it. Her attention was drawn away from the pool when he spoke about the bedrooms and she pressed down a shiver that threatened to crawl up her spine. God, tonight, she might be sleeping in Mike Lawson's bed. She nodded mutely. Did he want her in his bed? The answer seemed obvious but the question still buzzed in her mind. "Is your bed still on the table?" she asked casually.

 **Mike** Mike did his best to act as if his heart wasn’t about to beat out of his chest. Fuck, why was he so nervous? He’d had countless women over before, and he’d never felt like this. Like he wanted to… not impress her, because he showed off all the time, but… like he wanted her approval. He wanted her to be comfortable and happy and…secure. God, this was going to give him a damn heart attack. Speaking of heart attacks, Ginny’s words made him inhale quickly, though he attempted to keep his face neutral as he responded, “If that’s what you want.” Was his bed still an option? Not really, because it was taking every bit of restraint Mike had not to maul her and fuck her right there on the stairs. Or the couch. Or the kitchen counter. Gahhh- no! Skip in a bikini! Blip’s junk! He had to focus on something else or his desire was going to become VERY obvious.

 **Ginny** Mike Lawson had a long history in Ginny Baker's fantasies; she could admit that in her own head. Sure, she wasn't the most experienced when it came to boys or men, but lust wasn't foreign to her and lusting after Mike even less so. Of course, a lot of that had been thirteen year old Ginny staring at a poster on her bedroom wall while other girls were getting their first kiss on patio steps. That Ginny hadn't ever thought the fantasies could become a reality. Not that the Ginny who had gotten called up to the majors a few months ago to play alongside Mike Lawson had thought it any more so. And yet here she was and the reality was better than anything she could have fantasized about, even with the tense air between them that wasn't all attraction. Ginny stepped towards Mike and pulled her bag from his hand, dropping it unceremoniously off to the side. Then she tilted her head to the side. "Show me."

 **Mike** Show me. Two words that damn near brought Mike Lawson to his shitty knees. Good god, if only this girl knew the power she held over him. He refused to let his hopes get too high though, because she had just gotten out of the hospital and this thing between them had literally just begun. The last thing he wanted was to spook her and make her run away. So, Mike took a deep breath and allowed her to remove the duffle from his grip, replacing it by grasping the tips of her fingers and slowly leading her up the steps. The bed was made, thankfully, and as usual the room was in its typical state of bareness. Finally coming to a stop in the middle of the room, Mike glanced around awkwardly and held out a hand as if to physically present the space. “So uh, this is it.” He said hesitantly.

 **Ginny** Ginny was nervous, but the kind of nerves you got from being excited, like the kind of nerves she got when she first got called up. Yeah, something big was about to happen, but holy shit, she had done it, just like she always told her Pop (though, she was pretty sure the current 'it' on her mind was never on her father's mind). She could tell Mike was nervous too by the way he wasn't running his mouth. She wasn't sure she had ever seen him this nervous but she recognized it all the same. She watched as he held out a hand like a sports car model, showing her the space and that was all it took. She busted out in laughter, stumbling away from him to the bed and leaning back on her good arm. Perched on the bed, she looked at him, still giggling. "Oh man, if this is Mike Lawson game, I'm really disappointed in my gender," she said before reaching forward to grab his hand and pull him towards her, drawing him between her legs. Her face was level with his lower abdomen and she naturally found her gaze there and lower.

 **Mike** It was the sound of her laughter that managed to snap him out of it. Loud, obnoxious, and like goddamn music to his ears. Mike found himself unable to keep from grinning at her cackles. She wasn’t running. She wasn’t changing her mind. She wasn’t calling him off. For once, she was giving him the signal and taking control. And he found it completely mesmerizing. The glint of playfulness returned to his eyes as he followed her movements, letting out a small breath when she dropped down on his bed. “It’s called being a gentleman, rookie. But rest assured, that’s over now.” He murmured, smirking when he noticed her eye line fall below his waist. “Find something you like?” Mike leaned forward and ran a hand across her hip, dipping his fingers less than an inch below the waistline of her leggings. “Talk to me.”

 **Ginny** As much as awkward and nervous Mike amused her, she much preferred this Mike, her Mike. Smirky and narcissistic and touching her. "Haven't decided yet," she replied, raising her gaze to his. She shivered at the look on his face- desire and affection mingling. This was definitely happening. Ginny kicked off her shoes and pulled away from him as she slid back further on his frankly massive bed. "Nobody ever give you the birds and the bees talk, Lawson? Didn't know this was gonna turn educational." She grinned at him, toying with the edge of her t-shirt.

 **Mike** “Trust me rookie, I’m gonna teach you all sorts of things. I just want to hear you beg.” His confidence was growing now that he knew she was fully on board with everything. His biggest fear was always that they’d get this far and she’d change her mind, but it was pretty clear Ginny was more than giving the green light. Kicking off his own sneakers and socks, he followed her up the bed and stilled her hands at the hem of her shirt. “Uh-uh.” Mike shook his head, chastising her. “That’s my job now, rook.” Careful not to jostle her injured arm, he took his time sliding the material over her head and reveled in the sight of her sports bra. Leaning his head down, he pressed a trail of warm kisses against her neck, working his way down her chest until nudging her breast with his nose and ghosting his teeth over the exposed skin.

 **Ginny** Ginny snorted at his words, even as she knew them to be true. Everyone knew Mike spent a lot of time in bed, and usually not alone. His knowledge of sex would far outweigh hers. She almost threw his talk of begging back in his face as a challenge, but she didn't want this to be a battle of wills. She wanted it to be them coming together. She swallowed hard when he followed her onto the bed, heat growing in her belly. The careful way he divested her of her shirt did nothing to dampen that heat. Another woman might feel disappointed by the lack of lace in her undergarments but Ginny wasn't, because this was her, sports bra instead of lace. Her hand wrapped around his back, resting low, her own teeth digging into her lip as he kissed at her skin. She nudged him with her elbow, fingers gripping the hem of his shirt and tugging at it. The movement left her without any leverage and she fell fully back against the best, tugging his shirt halfway up his back and getting them both tangled in it, which had her lip popping out from between her teeth as she laughed. Her lack of two arms wasn't exactly making her a smooth customer, but after a moment with his help, she got his shirt off him and she found herself underneath a shirtless Mike Lawson. She wouldn't call the sight breath taking - she had seen him shirtless plenty before- but her breath caught in her throat anyway because now she could touch. Her eyes flicked towards his before landing back on his chest as she slowly smoothed her fingers over his chest, catching her thumb on his nipple.

 **Mike**   Mike was determined not to let her arm interfere with what was happening at the present moment. Of course, he didn’t take into account the logistics of removing clothes until they were already a tangled mess. Her laughter made him chuckle as well though. This whole thing was surreal and weird and exciting, so there were bound to be a few bumps along the way. Once his shirt was finally removed he grinned at her wide eyes, “And you haven’t even seen the main attraction yet,” he snickered, feeling himself grow hard beneath his shorts. Reaching a hand down between them, Mike let out a hard breath as he ran his fingers between her legs and found the area damp. “Jesus Christ, Gin.” He muttered, moving his hands to slip the material down her thighs and toss it away, his fingers gently stroking the soaking strip of fabric remaining between her legs.

 **Ginny**     Ginny huffed out an amused breath. "I'm preparing myself for the disappointment," she snarked in return to his boast. But she knew, at least in general terms, what she was in for. Evelyn had given her some basic parameters after Ginny's curiosity had won her over that time Evelyn had wondered about her seeing the men's 'junk' in the locker room. For the first time since coming upstairs, Ginny showed her first sign of shyness, even embarrassment, when he found how wet she was between her legs. Her gaze avoided his and if he looked hard enough he'd see the pink tinge to the dark skin of her cheeks. He had barely even touched her and she was soaking. She knew for a fact that she had never been this turned on in her life. She hissed and squirmed when he touched her with one less layer between them, just the utilitarian black cotton panties she wore between his fingers and her heated skin. "Mike," she muttered, tilting her face up to his, and letting her hand drag down his chest, determined to turn him on as much as she was. She rubbed her hand over the front of his shorts, gasping out loud when she felt him. "Kiss me."

 **Mike**       Mike let out a curse under his breath. The sounds she was making were driving him absolutely insane and by now his shorts were damn near painful despite the loose material. His lips fell to hers immediately at her demand, his tongue forcing its way deep into her mouth as his hand continued to prod at her center. Pushing the thin fabric of her panties to the side, he drug one finger across the mound of flesh before slowly sliding inside of her body while his other arm provided the leverage to prevent him from completely crushing her. Mike choked a bit when he felt her hand against the front of his shorts, his hips bucking against her palm almost involuntarily.

 **Ginny** Ginny whimpered when his finger dipped inside of her and she clenched around the digit, as her thighs pulled in close. Her arm hurt from the way her body twitched but it was more or less drowned out by the way he touched her. She kept his mouth melded to hers with the caress of her tongue and the nip of her teeth, dropping moans into the cavern of his mouth. It was difficult to draw her attention away from his hand between her legs as all she wanted to do was ride his hand, but she couldn't forget her own desire to pleasure him. After minutes of kissing him, she pulled their mouths apart, gasping out his name. She let her eyes connect to his as her hand brushed inside the waist band of his shorts, following it to the back where she gripped and pulled him into her. At the same time, she wrapped her long legs around him, encasing him between her muscled thighs. It meant his hand was trapped between them, but it also meant that their groins were pressed tightly together and she shifted her hips up into his in a rolling thrust.

 **Mike** In a perfect world, control was an option. Mike would have done everything perfect- the whole cliché dinner, candles, rose petals crap and taken his time with Ginny for their first time together. But reality wasn’t a perfect world, and reality contained flaws. Such as the inability to slow down due to overwhelming pent up desire and damn near desperation for contact. It was clear Ginny was just as impatient, with her almost frenzied attempts to close the gap between them. “Hang on. Hold on a second. I’ve got you.” Mike said breathlessly, nudging her legs apart and removing his finger from her body. Things were getting out of control and Mike knew the time for teasing and foreplay was long gone. “Hang on, baby.” He quickly helped Ginny wriggle out of the sports bra and discarded the remaining clothes around his lower half, tossing away the last remaining barriers until they were both completely exposed. For a moment, all Mike could do was stare. Ginny Baker, in the flesh. Literally. Completely bare, open, and exposed just for him. It was enough to make him lose it right there, but he held firm. “You’re fucking everything.”  He finally rasped. After a moment he broke his gaze in order to reach into his nightstand, extracting a condom and quickly sheathing himself inside of it. His eyes immediately returned to hers as Mike positioned himself between her legs, pausing for her consent before making the final move. This would change things, more so than anything else that had happened thus far, and from here there truly would be no going back. 

 **Ginny** Even as Mike tried to soothe her, Ginny thrust her hips up into his. She had never wanted someone so much as she wanted Mike in that moment. She whined when he made her release him from the clutch of her thighs, the muscles quivering from the need to have him between them once more. Her interest was piqued as he shed her of the rest of his clothes, and she reached out to help him do the same, her rush causing a false step or two before he was gloriously naked in front of her. Again, she had seen it, or at least most of it before, but now she let herself drink in her fill through hooded eyes, tongue repeatedly wetting her lips. Her gaze shot upwards to his face when he uttered those words. There was something so awed about them and she looked at him in wonder. She, Ginny Baker had made Mike Lawson sound like that. Whatever she was doing, she wanted to know so she could do it over and over again. She took his distraction digging into his nightstand to let her hands wander over his body, especially his plump backside. Too soon or not soon enough, he was back between her thighs and Ginny let her gaze fall to where their hips pressed together, feeling him slip and slide through her wet thighs. "Please, please," she said when he seemed to pause for her affirmation, reaching out to scratch her fingers through his beard, soothing his worries.

 **Mike**       She was beautiful, in every sense of the word. Here she was, completely naked, hair fanned out around her head, arm wrapped up, not a stitch of makeup on her face, staring up at him and Mike was sure, in that moment, he’d never seen anything more stunning in his life. As soon as the words of consent slipped through her lips, Mike pushed the tip of his cock into her body and let out a groan. Ever so slowly, he inched himself deeper, careful to take his time to allow her body to adjust. “So tight,” he grunted blissfully, leaning forward to hover across her body, chests pressed together as he continued to sink deeper. “Okay?” he checked, wanting to make sure she was completely pain-free before going any further.

 **Ginny**     Ginny hadn't really gotten a good look of Mike's...appendage but as he pressed inside of her, she could feel how large he was. She let out a gasp, eyes widening as he inched in her. He was, by far, the largest man she had ever taken, but it was utterly satisfying to feel him stretching her, making room for himself inside of her body. She wrapped her hand around the back of his neck, fingers pressing in against his skin. She knew he was being slow, giving her some time to adjust and she swallowed several times as she tried to get herself to relax. She let her thighs fall wide, opening herself up to him more, planting her feet against the bed and rocking back and forth minutely. Inside of replying, she rose her head slightly so she could draw his mouth to hers, distracting him with long, languid kisses until she felt ready for more of him. Then she wrapped one leg around him again and used her strength to draw him forward and against her, whimpering out his name as she took more of him.

 **Mike** Mike allowed her to take her time as she adjusted to his body. Yes, he was an arrogant bastard when it came to his dick, but he was an arrogant bastard that could back it up. He knew he was big, and took pleasure in the knowledge that it was him stretching her body in ways she’d never experienced before. “You’re good, Gin. That’s it,” Mike slipped an arm under one of her knees, lifting slightly to help her body acclimate to his. “There you go. Good girl.” He complied to her silent request and kissed her deeply, his tongue stroking languidly against hers until her whimpers signaled him to continue. Finally moving his hips, he thrust upward into her body in long, slow movements. “Shit, baby, you feel so good.” His words fell from his mouth like pleas, moaning as his free hand tugged gently at her nipple.

 **Ginny** Ginny's inner walls clenched around Mike as he called her 'good girl', giving away how excited the praise made her. The tender way he was treating her combined with the way he filled her was making her even wetter and she was sure the sheets below them were soaked with her pleasure. At the first thrust of his into her, she cried out, her head tilting upward and her eyes slamming shut. She wished she had another hand to touch him with but her one good hand curled into the hair at the nape of his neck. Or maybe she would use the extra hand to touch herself but she would much rather have Mike's thick and calloused fingers between her legs than her own. "Touch me, Mike, please," she begged, hoping he would understand what she meant. "Want it, want you, please."

 **Mike** Her restrained arm was killing her, Mike could tell from the way her fingers flexed against the brace, and he felt incredibly amounts of sympathy on her behalf. He himself had both hands free and it still didn’t feel like enough. In an attempt to help ease her frustration, Mike took a few of her fingers from the injured arm into his mouth and sucked, careful to avoid jostling the limb. The sound of her voice drove him further to the edge, the request for his fingers causing his hand to quickly fall from her breast, slipping between them and stroking against her swollen clit. “Come on, baby, you’re right there. Let go for me.” Mike urged, rubbing the throbbing nub between his fingers. “Cum for me, Ginny.”

 **Ginny**     Mike's wet, warm mouth around her fingers was a pleasurable surprise and her toes curled in pleasure as the feeling seemed to spread throughout her body. Ginny forced her chin down so she could look at Mike through hazy eyes, wanting him to feel the pleasure she did, wanting to see what his face looked like in pleasure. The command for her to cum nearly undid her it but she held back by digging her teeth into her lip. "Need you with me," she said in a voice that sounded much like a plea. "Are you, are you?" Even as she attempted to stave off her own orgasm to align with his, her hips rose up to meet his in his thrusts.

 **Mike** There was something about the way she phrased her pleas that made Mike’s heart squeeze in his chest. She wanted them to go together, in the most intimate way two people could physically be, and it was nearly enough to take his breath away. “Yeah, baby, I’m right there.” He promised, releasing her fingers from his mouth so he could return to her lips. “Go, go. Fuck.” The moment he felt her walls squeeze around him, Mike felt his body lose control, his hips thrusting deep against hers as he rode out his release, her name falling from his lips almost at a shout. 

 **Ginny**     Thank God, Ginny might as well had shouted, for the heavy sigh of relief told just how close she was losing control, as much as she wanted to hold out for him. As soon as he confirmed his readiness to let go, Ginny let the white hot waves of pleasure wash over her, gasping and moaning against his lips. Her body spasmed around him, inner walls clenching and milking, pulling all she could from him. She whimpered his name as she came down from what felt like hours of pleasure spiking through her body, all her limbs feeling loose and fluid. She melted back against the bed, using her fingers in his hair to pull his along with her so she could continue to press soft kisses against his mouth and fuzzy chin. "God, Mike, God. That was-I've never- So good. So, so good," The words were mumbled out between presses of her mouth, slow and languid and utterly content.

 **Mike**       It was no secret that Mike had a lot of experience in the bedroom. He was a man that slept with a lot of women, done a lot of things, and had plenty of incredible experiences. But this, he could say without a trace of doubt, was the best he’d ever had, bar none. Once the pair had finally come down from their orgasms, Mike fell onto the mattress next to her, his softening member still inside her body as he kissed her wet and deep. “Wanted to do that forever.” He hummed blissfully against her mouth. “Dreamed about you. Crazy about you. Love you.”

 **Ginny** When her limbs would support such movement, Ginny flipped them so that she was on top, though her body melted into his chest, her frame blanketing him. She rolled her hips experimentally, shuddering at the aftershocks of pleasure. Part of her wanted to do the whole thing all over again but she didn't think either of them were ready for that. When those words escaped his mouth, she lifted her head enough that she could look down at him. "Do you really?" she asked softly, unsure if he was just saying it because of the moment, because of what they had just done.

 **Mike**       It honestly took him a moment to register what had just happened. The words had fallen from his lips almost without any thought whatsoever, rambling out of pure euphoria. By the time he realized what he’d said, it was too late to try and take back. Ginny had heard him and no amount of fast thinking could get him out of giving an answer, no matter how much it terrified him. The answer was not one he had to think about- it had been there the entire time, it was just the recognition and acceptance he’d needed to work through. But here, now, in this moment of bliss with her, Mike knew he couldn’t say anything but the truth. “Yeah,” Mike lifted a hand to tuck a wayward strand of hair behind her ear, eyes locking with hers as he poured out his soul. “Yeah Gin, I think I have all along.”

 **Ginny**     She was watching his face close enough that she saw the minuscule flicker of panic and then realization, and she could realize that he hadn't meant to say it. It made her almost regret calling him out on it instead of just letting him get away with it. But she needed to know. Even if she wasn't entirely sure if she felt that way yet. Still, when he confirmed it, her features filled with pure joy, her dimples appearing in her cheeks. As if that reaction hadn't conveyed the way his words made her feel, she leaned down and gave him a heated kiss, filled with passion and contentment. When she pulled back, she kept her face hovering close to his, foreheads brushing and lips nearly touching, as she stroked her fingers through his beard. "I've never said it to anyone," she told him, hoping that he understood that she wasn't ready for it yet, hoping that didn't ruin this deep seated contentment she felt with him.

 **Mike** The fact that she wasn’t halfway out the door by now was a far bigger victory in Mike’s book than any of the ball games he’d played in his career. Sure she didn’t say it back, but that was understandable. “It’s okay, I kind of sprung it on you.” He assured her quietly, unable to keep the grin from forming on his face at the appearance of her dimples. “Sorry about that.” Mike pressed another tender kiss to her lips before breaking away, letting out a small grunt as he finally slid himself out from her walls. “Two seconds,” he promised, slipping out of the bed to dispose of the condom and returning with a damp washcloth, with which he gently began to wipe away the mess between her legs. “How do you feel?” Mike questioned gently after a few beats of silence, lifting his eyes to hers as he inquired not only her physical state, but what was going through her mind at the present moment. “You okay?"

 **Ginny**     Ginny's grin turned into a frown when he apologized and she shook her head. "Don't. Don't apologize for it," she said, her voice coming out with a slight edge before she let out a breath to soften her voice to continue. "It feels like taking it back, so please don't." She worried her lip between her teeth for a moment. "Unless you are taking it back." She let him pull away from her, sliding herself back onto her back after maneuvering around the wet spot on the bed. Her eyes drank him in, unabashedly, as he wandered back to the bed. It was her first real look at him in all his glory and she definitely liked what she saw. Thick thighs, the light muscles of his abdomen, and god, he was big. As he wiped her down, she squirmed but continued to drink him in before finally letting her gaze find his as he questioned her. At first, she just nodded, as if that was all the question warranted. It only took a short beat before her dimples popped again. "Yeah, great even," she said, shifting so she could pull a corner of his comforter over her, body a little chilled as she came down from the endorphins. "You?"

 **Mike**       The fact that she not only wasn’t scared shitless by his abrupt confession, but that she wanted to hear it was damn near enough to make his poor old heart explode. It took everything in him not to drop his jaw at her request, and the idea of taking the words back, of denying he meant them, seemed almost laughable. “No. No, I’m not taking ‘em back.” He promised, reaching his hands up to cup her face in his palms, a sweet smile on his face as he spoke the words again, confidently, for the first time to her. “I love you, Ginny Baker. So damn much.” Mike could feel her eyes on him, and it would be a lie to say the knowledge didn’t make him add a little bit of a swagger to his steps as he moved, not a hint of embarrassment at her scanning his naked body. Tossing the rag aside, he slipped his arms back around her, tangling their legs together and resting his forehead against hers as they spoke quietly. “Never better.” Mike answered honestly. “Could probably stay like this forever, actually.”

 **Ginny**     Ginny could still remember when Trevor told her he loved her and the way it had made her feel scared shitless, the way it had made her want to run. Now, hearing Mike say it to her, she just wanted to make him say it over and over. When he did indeed repeat it, she looked at him in awe, utterly taken aback by the sweet, soft smile on his face. It made her heart thud hard in her chest and her breath stutter. She didn't say anything, just stroked his face and smiled at him. As he slid back onto the bed, she welcomed him into her embrace. "Pretty sure that might look a little suspicious," she teased him. Absently her fingers found his jaw and scratched at his beard. Maybe the hairy thing on his face was growing on her. "Mike." Her voice was low, deep. "I'm really happy right now." It wasn't an 'I love you' but considering her arm and everything else, it said a lot. "You make me really happy."

 **Mike**       “I don’t know, I think you could pitch just as well from right here.” Mike offered. “Though it might be a little harder since you’re gonna have to keep the comforter up to your chin, considering the lack of clothes. Because I don’t care how much they need ticket sales to increase, this is a sight only for my eyes.” He murmured, leaning his head down to press a tender kiss against her breast. He couldn’t quit kissing her, he realized. Couldn’t stop touching her either, not that this posed as much of a problem. It was merely an observation.  His face tipped back up when Ginny spoke again, the lilt of her tone alerting him to the seriousness of what she was saying. Mike knew how hard this was for her- she’d been through a lot in her life not just because of baseball, but emotionally with her family and past relationships. It would have been more of a surprise if she wasn’t affected by it all. Which was why Mike gave her a warm smile, taking the offered statement and sealing his lips against hers again. “I’m glad, baby.” he pulled back just a bit, his eyebrows scrunching together as a thought struck him. “Is the ‘baby’ thing weird?”

 **Ginny**     Ginny didn't want to point out that right now she couldn't even pitch from a mound, but that was the truth. Instead she made a mild challenging sound as if saying 'oh really?" in response to her body being for his eyes only. "Pretty sure that's my decision," she said, reminding him of the photoshoot they had done with the only wardrobe being her mitt. "Anyway, anyone who wanted to see it has probably seen it." It still sucked that someone had taken her private photos for someone and made them public, but Ginny had dealt with a lot of her feelings about that situation both by taking charge and doing that photoshoot and by working through some of it in therapy. It was a little weird how they had quickly gone from last names to pet names, but Ginny didn't mind the term much. "Not too weird, sweetie pie," she retorted, not being able to help needling him about it a little.

"Unless dementia has kicked in and you've just forgotten my name."

 **Mike**       Mike did his best not to roll his eyes. Did everything with her have to turn in to debate about feminism? “If we’re doing this for real, it’s kind of implied.” He reminded her dryly. “No sleeping with other people,  no tonsil hockey with groupies or teammates. You know, all that awful feminism-preventing, ownership, exclusive stuff men like me created just to assert the dominance of our gender?” His humor fell away at her mention of the photo debacle. “Screw them. Screw all of it.” Mike said, doing his best not to get riled up and instead focus on the woman before him. “You took control of that and rocked the hell out of it.” And then, partially to distract her and also because it was the truth, he added mischievously, “You don’t even want to know what that Body Issue material did to me.”     His face twisted into a grimace at the sound of the nickname. “For the record, mine was pretty basic and not vomit-inducing. And I didn’t plan on using it unless it was in this type of scenario, in which case the street is open both ways.” 

 **Ginny**     Ginny rolled onto her side so she was facing him, head propped up on her good hand, just so that she could arch a brow at him, partly because he was talking about exclusivity, which, yeah, maybe it had been kind of implied but it almost seem surprising when it was laid out more clear. "Oh, is that what this is about? Killing a feminist?" she quipped. Ginny guffawed and dropped her forehead to his chest in some semblance of a face palm at his next words. Leave it to Mike to both show pride for her sticking up to a bunch of underground internet pervs while also being a bit of a perv himself, but she supposed he was allowed to do that now. "Hmmm, what did it do to you? Maybe upped your batting average with the groupies?" she teased him. She chuckled at the disgusted look on his face at her pet name. "I'll just have to test drive a few, I guess, snookums," she replied. "And oh, honey bee, if you ever call me baby in hearing range of another person, I will end you."

 **Mike** “Mhm, after taking away all of your independence and power. I expect to see a Property of Mike Lawson tattoo across your forehead within the week.” Mike deadpanned. “I told you already that I was all in, Baker. If the terms to that were unclear, let me know and I’ll spell them out for you.” He slipped his arms around her body, reveling in the feeling of her weight on top of him. He was perfectly content to stay this way forever. Running his fingers up and down the smooth skin of her back and pausing to cup her ass in his palms, he responded to her jab with brutal honesty. “More like a shit ton of cold showers.” Mike wasn’t the pet name type of guy. Nicknames were a whole other story- he was on a baseball team for crying out loud. Nicknames were practically a part of the sport. But the mushy romantic names that sounded like baby talk? Yeah, not so much. With Ginny, however, it was more like a crime of passion in the act. Still, the teasing annoyed him, which was why after a minute he flipped them over and raised an eyebrow at his rookie. “Again, rules are different when it’s just us.” He reminded her, well aware of the bodily harm he would face should he ever slip up in public. Mike leaned in close so that their noses were pressed together, his voice low and salacious as he spoke “And if you want nicknames for me, rookie, you can start with Sir or Captain. I'd even be willing to entertain Daddy if it really got you off.” 

 **Ginny**     It wasn't as if Ginny wasn't planning on seeing anyone else, or even that she wanted to. She didn't. At all. She didn't want him to date anyone else either but for some reason it still felt like a revelation when he confirmed that wouldn't be happening. "Okay, okay, I get it. All in," she huffed, dropping her gaze to her fingers as they spread out over her captain's skin, her lips widening in a pleased smile. "So what does that make you? My boyfriend or something?" Ginny went over easy when he turned them, humming her pleasure as she felt his weight settle over her once again. She curled one leg over the top of his, aligning her pelvis  over one of his thick thighs, and running her hand over his shoulders to the low dip of his back. The content smile slipped off her face, being replaced with  wide eyes, when he spoke about the nicknames he approved of. Her pussy clenched hard, causing her thighs to twitch, which he could probably feel where they were pressed together, and she swallowed hard several times. "Good to know," she replied, her voice ragged.

 **Mike** Boyfriend. To be honest, the word was a bit foreign to him at this point. He hadn’t been a boyfriend in a long time. A one night stand, sure. A hook-up, a placeholder, hell he’d even been someone’s dirty little secret once or twice. But Mike Lawson hadn’t been a boyfriend since… since right before he became a fiancé. The word held a lot of power- commitment not just physically, but emotionally. It meant he alone would take care of her and be the one she came to. Then again, he kind of already did that. In a way, even without the title, Mike realized he’d belonged to Ginny Baker for quite some time. “Yeah, rook. I’m your boyfriend.” He confirmed. “But it’s a package deal, which means you take a title too.”  He took a sick pleasure in knowing he was the source of her obvious discomfort. “Already?” he questioned with a grin, slipping a hand between them to feel the wetness beginning to pool between her legs. “You like it when I talk to you like that, Ginny? Does it turn you on?” 

 **Ginny**     Ginny mulled over the word 'boyfriend' for a moment. Mike Lawson was her boyfriend. For some reason it sounded funny and she couldn't quite put her finger on why. He was only the second man to be able to claim the title of Ginny Baker's boyfriend, so perhaps it was still a newness to it, a newness to someone being that committed to her, that important to her. "Okay," she accepted it before a mischievous grin flashed over her features. "A title of mine own? Like Your Highness or Ginny Baker, Ruler of Mike Lawson?" Her own amusement was dampened by the dampening between her thighs and Mike's obvious delight in it. She squirmed beneath his fingers, partly due to some embarrassment and partly due to tenderness she felt that was only just beginning to form. Still, she could only nod to his question, the answer already obvious. She had never thought of herself as particularly kinky but it wasn't something she had explored either. All the sex she had had before was pretty vanilla. "You're making me a perv just like you," she shot back.

 **Mike**       Ginny Baker was a firecracker. She took no shit, gave no fucks, and played hard ball every time, no exceptions. Whether it was in front of press, in the clubhouse, or on the field, she was a warrior one hundred percent of the time. And it was kind of a pain in the ass sometimes. It was also one of the things Mike loved most about her. Even when they were screwing around like this, she still played with fire. Every time. “Don’t try to outdo me with titles, Baker. Because I will play every card I have and you will lose.” He said dangerously, a glint in his eye.  He was a bit surprised she was actually in to the dirty talk, but Mike was far from upset at the revelation. The thought of all the things he could do and say to her only thrilled him more; the possibilities were endless and he quickly realized they would now be running through his head permanently. Work would be fun tomorrow. Focusing back on the wiggling girl beneath him, Mike smiled widely, pride in his eyes as she voiced her complaint. “Trust me, we’re just getting started.” Biting gently at the soft patch of skin just behind her ear, he ran two fingers over her wet pussy. “What do you want, baby? Tell me exactly what you want.”

 **Ginny** Ginny whined at the revelation that they were just getting started because the sex had already been pretty dynamite and she wondered how it could get better. Her body shuddered underneath him as he bit at her skin and she wrapped her good hand around his forearm to try and ground herself. Even dirty talk was pretty outside her realm and she began to feel just how out of her depth she was with Mike, ducking her head in embarrassment. "Mike," she whined, turning her face into his shoulder. "I'm not. I haven't." She trailed off, burying her face even more against his skin, trying to hide from him.

 **Mike**       “You haven’t done dirty talk before?” Mike had sort of assumed the pictures were a sign that she also sent dirty messages at least somewhat during her time with the Tyler guy. The surprise was welcome though, as it meant he got to be the one to introduce her. “Uh-uh. Right here.” Nudging her face out of his neck, Mike looked into her eyes. “I’ve got you, okay?” he murmured. “Don’t over think. Let yourself enjoy this.” Stroking the skin between her legs again, he slipped a single finger inside of her body. “Now tell me the first thing that comes to your mind. Don’t think, just say it.” he instructed. "What do you want?"

 **Ginny**     Ginny made a 'uh-uh' sound from her position hiding herself against Mike's skin. Truth be told, the dirty pictures she had sent Trevor were her attempts to spice things up between them and the pictures were appreciated but not reciprocated, which had halted her foray into anything beyond the vanilla sex they had. Of course, Mike wouldn't be one to leave it alone and she pouted as he took away her hiding place. She did feel comfortable with Mike but that didn't mean she was particularly keen on  making a fool of herself in front of him with this either. He was probably a world class dirty talker and had been with those just like him in that regard. Why would he want to hear her stumble over it all? She looked up at him and it was only because of the encouraging look in his eye that she did her best to relax, nodding shortly. "You," she said immediately. "Your mouth." Slowly her eyes lowered until she was looking between her legs. They darted back up quickly as if seeking out his approval for the three words.

 **Mike**       The instant she spoke, Mike nodded. “Good girl. Just like that.” He praised. He moved his lips slowly down the skin of her neck, sucking on her collar bone. It was obvious she was nervous, but interested, so Mike was officially dead set on making her relax and enjoy herself. “Where do you want my mouth, baby?” Finally settling his head between her breasts, he took a nipple in his mouth and bit gently before moving to the other and repeating his action. “Right here? You want me to suck your tits?” Mike pushed the finger inside of her deeper, curling the digit slightly. “Or do you want me down there? Huh? Is that what you want? You want me to put my mouth on your pussy?” he bit at the skin of her breast, encouraging her. “Go on, baby. You're doing so good. Tell me exactly what you want.”

 **Ginny**     Ginny's mouth curved into a small smile at his praise, glad to be please him. "Oh," she breathed out with pleasant surprise when his lips wrapped around her nipple. It's not as if she had never had her nipples sucked before but the brush of Mike's beard against the rest of her breast was amazing. Although her initial intention had been for his mouth between her legs, and she was still very much interested in that, she wouldn't mind him settled at her breasts for now. She curled her fingers in his hair, tightening her grip to keep him there. "Yes," she said, her commands gaining some confidence. "But first, suck my nipples. And- and bite. Gentle." Ginny's eyes were blown black as she watched his suck and nibble at her chest, gasps and moans escaping her. "That's good. That's- Thank you...Sir."

 


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which, more sex. Basically.
> 
>  _She's got me love stoned_  
>  Man, I swear she's bad, and she knows  
> I think that she knows  
> -Lovestoned/I Think She Knows, Justin Timberlake

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Explicit sexual content including unsuccessful intercourse, blowjob and female masturbation. Some language thrown in there too.
> 
> Spoilers: Pitch, season 1. 1x10 especially.
> 
> Follow us on tumblr  
> trenchcoatstories  
> 

**Mike** As much as Mike Lawson adored sex, and sex with Ginny Baker was no question his new favorite thing on the planet, Mike Lawson was also old. And, unfortunately, not a machine. And while he would have loved to spend the next week straight in bed, the growling of both their stomachs and intense thirst were hard to ignore. “Alright rook, time for a pause. Otherwise I’m gonna start thinking you’re only with me because of my talents in the bedroom.” He teased, sliding out of the bed and grabbing his boxers from the floor to slip on. “I know you’re starving. How do you feel about sandwiches and beer in the Jacuzzi?”

 **Ginny** Mike had been right about giving her a workout despite neither of them having gone anywhere near a treadmill or a baseball glove since they arrived at Mike's place. Her limbs still felt shaky, she was damp with sweat and she was sore (though in places she had never been sore before). Despite the honestly amazing things he made her feel, she was admittedly glad for the break, especially when the break came with the offer of food. "If all I wanted from you was a roll in the sack, all I needed was a pair of fuck me heels and a short skirt," she snarked at him as she rolled herself in the blankets. She peeked out from her mass of curls to get herself another good look of Mike's body. She made a soft, thoughtful hum at his proposed schedule. "Depends. How many other people's body fluids are in that Jacuzzi?" She sat up on the side of the bed because whatever his answer, there was still food to be had. "I didn't bring a swimsuit."

 **Mike**       The teasing she did sucked, but what Mike hated more than her playful jabs was the fact that she had the ammunition with which to make them. He hated that he was coming to her over-used and tarnished. He’d been a playboy, it was the truth. And it wasn’t too bad, considering what it was. But it never changed the fact that he slept around because his heart had been broken and he was left to pick up the pieces however he could. He just wished Ginny could understand how much he regretted the past; how he wished he was better for her. Instead, he simply answered, “It’s cleaned regularly. Also hasn’t been used in quite a while.” What with all the craziness of the possible trade, and even the drama before it, he hadn’t exactly had a lot of time recently. Making his way into the kitchen and removing a loaf of bread from the breadbox on the counter, he smirked at her mention of the lack of swimwear. “Good. You don’t need one.” His place was far enough back on the property that privacy wasn’t an issue- it was part of why he’d gotten the house in the first place. “What kind of cheese do you want?”

 **Ginny** Mike's lack of responding jab to her comments, did raise an eyebrow. Sure, it wasn't as if he could exactly throw them back at her because she didn't have the reputation he did, but she had half expected something. More than that, though, was the sliver of self loathing she saw on his features before he turned away from her. Well, that was interesting. The guys, even Ginny, made fun of him back at the clubhouse all the time for his reputation. She took a few moments to shimmy back into her clothes, forgoing her bra, which she couldn't find, before following after him. She hopped up on the counter, swinging her legs slightly. This was about as close to cooking as Ginny got, but she found herself drawn to the domesticity of watching Mike putter around the kitchen. "Pepperjack or cheddar," she responded before turning back to her lack of swimming attire. "I figured you would say that but what about like drones or helicopters?”

 **Mike**       It was kind of scary how incredibly normal the situation felt- Ginny Baker sitting on his kitchen counter while he made food after several rounds in bed, about to skinny dip in his pool. The whole thing felt very domestic and completely normal. Like it wasn’t the first time this had happened, like they hadn’t just gotten together, like life wasn’t a complete clusterfuck at the moment. It just felt… natural. Like it had been this way all along, and it always would be. Mike decided not to question the lack of awkwardness, instead putting his focus on making two perfect sandwiches, layering turkey, ham, cheese, and several other ingredients between the slices of bread. “Not an issue. The place is guarded by security. If something weird happens, they’ll call.” He promised in regards to her concerns. “Besides, the Jacuzzi isn’t as out in the open as the pool.” Putting both sandwiches on a single plate, he grabbed a bag of chips out of the cabinet and passed them to her before retrieving two beers from the fridge and heading for the back of the house. “You trust me?” Mike found her eyes as he paused by the back door, hoping she understood that he would never put her in any situation where something bad could happen.

 **Ginny** Ginny dutifully took the bag of chips from him and followed him. His question if she trusted him was an easy one. She had trusted him since that second day on the mound, that speech where he had urged her to put herself ahead of all the other responsibilities. "Of course," she said easily but seriously. She paused for a moment thinking back to the self loathing she had seen on his face before she spoke again. "I just figured you usually would like to get caught with a Jacuzzi full of women." She grinned and nudged him but watched him carefully.

 **Mike** It made him feel good to know she could say she trusted him with such ease. Regardless of their romantic relationship or if they ever went beyond platonic, the girl was his rookie, his pitcher, and his friend, all of which mattered a whole hell of a lot. It was Ginny’s second comment that deflated him though. It always came back to him being a playboy. Soon enough she was going to realize the weight of her words, what they truly meant, and decide she didn’t want to deal with it. It was crazy enough she was going for someone thirteen years older and in not the best shape; it wouldn’t be long before she got tired of wondering all the places he’d been. Giving Ginny a single nod, he placed the food on the table. “We need towels.” He announced suddenly. “You go on. I’ll be right there.”

 **Ginny**     There it was again. Ginny absolutely noticed the way his face fell with her pointed comment. Before he could run off, she grabbed his hand and stepped into him. "Oh no, you don't, Lawson," she chided him lightly. Her arms slid around him, low on his waist and she gazed into his face. A light frown creased her brow and she worried her lip slightly. "I don't really care who you've fucked before. I mean, I do, but at the same time not." She paused with a slight exhale, frustrated by her lack of ability to express herself how she wanted. "I'm used to ribbing about it, at the clubhouse, with the guys, but I won't here, between you and me, if it bothers you. Those woman are your past, and they're going to stay there because it's you and me now. That's what's important to me." She leaned into him slightly, ducking her head. "The only one I'm bothered by is Rachel. She kind of intimidates me because...you two had so much together, and you seem to gravitate toward her whenever she'll let you." Her lips pulled into an uncomfortable smile, admitting that was difficult for her. "Those groupies, though, however many there were, I don't care." Her free hand slid down over his cheek and scratched his beard. "When you look at me, I know I don't need to worry about them."

 **Mike** Mike grimaced as he was forced back around. He didn’t want to talk about this; it was easier to just ignore it, feel shitty, and keep moving. That’s what he usually did. But of course Ginny had to be different. Different was her normal. Her kind words were nice, sure, and it was probably good to hear, but regardless of how many times she said it, Mike knew there would always be a part of him that worried when she would see the light and realize that he was by far the one dating out of his league. He wished with all his might that he had the power to erase his past; that he could be good enough for her. He’d never been a perfect person, but when he’d married Rachel he was confident enough in himself that he believed while he was obviously lucky to have found her, they were lucky to have found each other. Perhaps it was because of the newness of the relationship or because it had so many possibilities of blowing up, but Mike wasn’t there yet with Ginny. 

“It’s just different.” He offered reluctantly. “Because it matters with this. And I don’t want you to ever think you’re being compared, or that you’re just… I don’t know, next in line. Because you’re not.” He paused for a moment, thinking carefully about how he wanted to phrase the next part. “I love Rachel. I will always love Rachel. And I’m never going to wish her ill will or unhappiness, because for a long time she made me really happy and she was my family.” Mike said truthfully. “But if our night together showed me anything, it was that it’s not the same anymore. Things are different now. We’re not the same people we were last time. She still drives me crazy, but you’re the one that drives me crazy Gin.” He couldn’t help but smirk a little at the difference in emphasis. Reaching to take Ginny’s hands in his, he leaned forward a bit. “You ever need reminded of that, let me know and I’ll remind you, ‘kay?” 

 **Ginny** Ginny wasn't sure if her words did anything to help. Mike didn't mention the groupies at all and Ginny had a short debate with herself if she was going to let him get away with it. But she didn't want to force him to talk about them any more than she already had, so she let it go, focusing just on him as he spoke about Rachel. Personally, she thought Rachel was an idiot not to have realized how important baseball was to him. He was already a star when they got married and more in his prime than he was by the end of the marriage. If Rachel hadn't seen it, that was her own damn fault. She smiled at him as he talked about Rachel; she could see Rachel was in his past. "Alright, you sap," she replied. "Go get some towels so I can eat your sandwich while you're gone." She giggled and skipped off to the table, settling in her seat.

When he came back, she had already popped her beer open and washed down half a sandwich with it. She waited until he was settled in before she spoke again. "Can I ask you about her? Rachel?" she asked, tentatively.

 **Mike** Mike wondered for a brief moment if the feeling of pure joy he got from her smile would ever wear off. He sincerely hoped not, because it was almost laughable how much happiness the simple gesture from Ginny brought him. A grin of his own appearing, he leaned forward and kissed her quickly. “Go for it,” he told her, referring to the sandwich. Looking back, he should have known to make two for her in the first place. Mike already knew keeping her fed was the best way to ensure a happy Ginny. He’d have to tell his housekeeper to start leaving casseroles in the freezer again. Grabbing two large towels from the hall closet, he returned to the backyard and dropped down into the seat next to hers. 

Her question surprised him. It wasn’t that he had anything to hide, he was just surprised that of all the topics in the world, she wanted to discuss his ex-wife. It certainly wasn’t an unfair thing to ask about. It was a large part of his life, after all. “You can ask me whatever you want.” Mike told her. If this thing between them was going to work, he owed it to her to be honest.

 **Ginny**     Ginny picked at her sandwich absently as she looked at him, trying to determine how okay he was with her asking questions about his ex-wife. Despite the huge part she had played in his life, she hadn't been a subject they talked about. She wasn't entirely sure why, but she had a few guesses. She smiled and nodded her head, but instead of asking anything about Rachel, she changed paces; maybe another time. "I'm thinking that it would be good for me to ask Amelia back as my agent. She's really good at her job and she knows her shit. Do you think that would be awkward, considering...us?"

 **Mike** Mike’s eyebrows furrowed. “That wasn’t about Rachel.” He couldn’t help but tease a bit. “I wasn’t kidding. I’ll tell you whatever you want to know.” It was fine if she didn’t want to talk about it after all, but he wanted to make sure she knew nothing was off limits. Taking a bite of his sandwich, Mike waited until he’d swallowed before responding to the topic change. “Honestly? I don’t know what went down between you guys,” he said carefully. “But I know that Amelia loves you like family, and even though she’s kind of intense, that’s why she’s so good at what she does.” He shrugged. “Things with me and her are fine. It won’t be an issue.” Mike promised. “You dating your captain she might not be thrilled with, though, regardless of whether it’s me or not.”

 **Ginny** "Astute observation,” she quipped before shrugging her shoulders. "Maybe I'll spring it on you some other time." Still, she was glad about the subject change, even if it was from one ex to another, albeit is a much less serious ex. She laughed a little. "Oh, ho, ho, that's an understatement. You might want to go out of town for a bit after she finds out." She grinned but the truth was, things would change between her and Amelia if she did come back. Ginny wanted some clearer boundaries when it came to her personal life, especially when it came to Mike. "We'll definitely have to tell her, though. There's no way we could hide it from her." She took a huge bite of her sandwich and then spoke when she was halfway done. "It's kind of a mess, what happened between us. She just interfered a little too much and she hid things from me about that interference, especially involving my brother." She looked down, kind of ashamed of what her brother had done. "Will got himself in some shady shit."

 **Mike** Mike watched her carefully as she spoke. He knew Ginny didn’t talk about her personal life much, and her feelings even less than that. It was hard for her, no doubt because she’d spent her life trying to hide anything that could be seen as a weakness and prevent her from achieving her dreams in a world dominated by men. So it meant a lot that she was willing to open up to him, even if it came with the territory of their new relationship. “If it’s gonna be that bad, I want a front row seat.” He corrected her with a smirk. “Plus, someone’s gotta be there as a witness to keep things from ending up on the news. But yeah, I think telling her is a good idea. She’ll probably be able to help us out.” Whether she was happy about it or not, Amelia would do her damnedest to keep things in order for Ginny, which was exactly what they needed. Mike paused briefly at the mention of her brother, realizing it was going to be even heavier of a topic. “I think this calls for another round.” He decided, rising from the table to retrieve two more beers from the fridge. Setting the two drinks next to his place at the table, Mike scooted his chair out and opened his arms for her to join him. “You wanna talk about it?”

 **Ginny**     It was difficult for her to picture Amelia helping her sneak around with Mike, although she didn't intend on letting Amelia get in the middle of their relationship like that. How Amelia would react was a problem for another day, but Ginny really couldn't imagine it going well at the beginning. Ginny tried not to appear too eager when he invited her to join in his chair, but the idea of settling on his lap and feeling his arms around her was extremely appealing. She shimmed out of her own chair and gingerly parked herself on his lap, trying to avoid his knees so the brunt of her weight was on his thighs and the chair underneath. "You know this whole restaurant thing he was pursuing?

Well, I gave him some money. Well, a lot of money." Or at least what most people would see as a lot of money. Maybe not Major League Baseball Players. "He used it to pay some debts he had from back home in North Carolina, instead of using it as he told me he would. And then he lied to me about it. I would have given him the money. He was always there for me and never asked for anything, and, if he had only asked." She huffed out a heavy breath.

"Amelia told me I shouldn't get involved but I wanted him to have something. I thought he deserved it after all he did for me, but not like that. Does that make any sense?"

 **Ginny**     Again, sitting on the back patio with Ginny in his lap, it struck Mike how incredibly normal the whole situation felt. Considering how fast things had progressed and what it all meant, they should have both been incredibly self conscious and awkward, but they just… weren’t. And it was nice. Really nice. Mike planted a series of kisses along Ginny’s neck as she spoke, listening attentively while trying to comfort her at the same time. “Yeah, it makes sense.” He answered, resting his chin on her shoulder as he spoke. “He’s family, and nothing is ever gonna change that. The lying was probably a pride thing- not that that makes it okay.” He sighed. “I’m sorry you have to deal with all this crap. But I think hashing out with Amelia would definitely be the best place to start. Clear the air and get back on the same page, you know?”

  **Ginny** Ginny was glad that Mike seemed to understand her side. "Yeah, I'm sure he felt his pride was on the line but he's my brother. I just hoped he could've put that aside." She let her voice drop a little on the next sentence. "He took money from Ev and Blip too, but I paid it back. They don't know about that part. His pride almost screwed some of my best friends over. I don't know how I'm going to forgive that."

She nodded her head at his assessment. "I think Amelia's the easiest place to start, although that is a terrifying though," she said, half joking. She felt silent for a moment, mirth escaping her. "She left already, ya know? What if she doesn't want to come back? I know people move on but...she's practically the reason I got here, the Majors. It'll feel weird to do it without her."

 **Mike** “People do a lot of stupid stuff to protect how they’re seen by other people.” Mike said with a helpless shrug. He’d done it plenty of times. So had she. It wasn’t a particularly good trait in the human race, but it was a popular one. “It’s not really up to you now. It’s on him and how he makes things right- to you and them. And it might take a while. But if he loves you as much as he says he does- which I believe,” he added. “Then he’ll do what he has to do.”

He dropped another kiss on her shoulder. “You won’t have to do it without her. Amelia loves you.” He repeated. “She’s probably just hurt right now. Once you guys talk it out, it’ll be okay. She probably heard about what happened and is worried sick.” Running his hands up and down her arms, he nudged at her cheek with his nose. “Before you know it she’ll be back and trying to castrate me for luring her innocent star pitcher into my evil lair.” He joked.

 **Ginny**     There wasn't a lot more to say about Will. He had made his bed and he would have to lie in it, but it hurt a lot that he had betrayed her. The Amelia situation was easier because they had both messed up, or at least that's what Ginny believed. Ginny gulped down some more beer and then let her head rest against Mike's. "She never called, though. I haven't heard from her since our blow up. I only know she left because of Eliot." She chuckled lightly at his joke. "Don't worry, I'll do my best to defend your goodies." She wrapped her good arm around his shoulders, stroking the back of his neck. "I'm not going to let her mess with this. This is ours."

 **Mike** “Like I said, she’s probably hurt. And hell, she probably needed to get away from everything. She never stops working.” Even when they had been having their fling, Amelia was never off duty. She answered calls at all hours of the night, stopped mid-conversation to answer emails, and always had a list of a million things to do, complete with six backup and alternate plans for each. She was bound to break at some point, and her pride wasn’t going to let it be anywhere she could be noticed. Mike smiled. Knowing she was invested enough to go against Amelia for their relationship was a big deal. “Good. I like this.” He turned his head slightly to kiss her lips, making no rush as their tongues lazily lapped together. “You want me to be there?” he eventually asked, referring initially to the news about their relationship, but quickly realizing he was willing to stand by her side for the entire confrontation if it was what she wanted. 

 **Ginny**     Ginny smiled against his mouth, kissing him back slowly. She drew back just enough that their foreheads were pressed together, humming thoughtfully at the question. "I don't know. I think it might be better if you weren't. This should be between me and her," she said. "You're a part of my life, a huge part, but she's my agent and I think it would be better if we kept things...separate." She couldn't help but think back to when Amelia had come between them before. It was stranger that even at the time she had thought of it as Amelia coming between her and Mike rather than the other way around,  but Mike had been her catcher and that was an important relationship for  a rookie pitcher. "I'm not gonna have to worry about you two ganging up on me, am I?"

 **Mike** Mike nodded slowly, his eyes finding hers as she spoke. He could stare into her eyes for hours, he decided, just studying the color and how it changed ever so slightly with the light. They also were her single tell. It was probably intensified because of the pitcher/catcher dynamic they had, but Mike could read her like a book just by her eyes. “Fair enough. It’s your call.” He agreed easily. As far as he was concerned, Amelia was nothing more than Ginny’s manager and a casual acquaintance. Their time together was a mistake, they’d both been using each other, and was in the past. As long as she was taking care of Ginny, they would be fine. “Ganging up on you? Please, I’m your catcher. That means I have your back.” Dropping another kiss to her lips, he smirked a bit as a thought popped into his head. “What are my chances of getting you out of these clothes and in to my hot tub in the next thirty seconds?”

 **Ginny** Ginny smiled gratefully. "Thanks," she said, pressing a kiss to his forehead. She raised an eyebrow at him when he said he was her catcher. "Oh, is that all it's about?" she asked, wiggling a little in his lap, her bottom grinding over him. "You think most catchers have their pitchers back the same way as you have mine?" She slid off his lap at his next question, finishing off her second beer before turning to him with a coy smile. "Do you really think a catcher should be asking his pitcher that?" She rolled her hips to the side, dragging her shirt over her head and then tossing it at him with a giggle.

 **Mike** Mike bit back a groan. He was thrilled he seemed to succeed in cheering her up, but clearly her mission to kill him was back on in full force. “What can I say, rook, I go above and beyond when I find someone with potential.” He bit out. He let the shirt fall to the ground, rising from the chair and scurrying after her. It was clear she wasn’t expecting it when he snatched her up into his arms, laughing as he made the last few steps to the hot tub and setting her down. “You ever done the deed in a hot tub, Rookie?” he ignored the pain in his knees as he asked the question and kneeled before her, dropping kisses against her tight stomach before sliding her panties down her legs.

 **Ginny**     "Ah, so you're just nurturing talent, huh?" she retorted before shrieking when he picked her up. She wasn't ashamed to admit her first thought went to his knees, because she wanted him to be her catcher for a few more seasons and she was fit but packed of heavy muscle so she wasn't exactly light. "I've never even been skinny dipping," she admitted, her eyes dark as she watched him kneel in front of her. Even if she worried about his knees, it was an undeniably hot image seeing him crouched in front of her. "Hey," She held out her hands to him. "Let's get in. Pretty sure it's my turn to be on top." She helped him up and stepped into him so she could slide her hands into his boxers and drop them from his hips. Her gaze dropped down to drink in him in, clenching around nothing at the sight of him. Admittedly, she got a little waylaid from her plan to get in the hot tub but she was still getting used to the view.

 **Mike** “It’s what us elders do. Guide the new generations so they can take over as we die off.” Mike deadpanned. After she stepped out of the underwear Mike pressed a firm kiss against her public bone before accepting her hands and standing. Again, he couldn’t help but puff his chest out slightly as she stared at him. Nudging her stomach once with the head of his member, Mike smirked and stepped down into the hot water, offering her his hand to climb in before lowering himself into a seat. “Alright, rook. You want to take the lead this time, the floor is yours.”

 **Ginny**     The clench between her legs made Ginny realize that she was actually sore from the rounds of sex in his bed. The last time she had been sore from sex had been the first time she ever had sex. Granted she didn't have a lot of experience but no one else had ever made her sore. She knew it wasn't because Mike hadn't been gentle or she hadn't been properly prepared, but because of his impressive (and ego boosting) size. Ginny climbed into the hot tub after Mike and settled herself over him, one knee on each side of his hip. His cock bumped against her lips but Ginny didn't take him inside her now. The water was soothing and immediately seemed to give her some relief on her sore muscles. "I definitely have to get me one of these when I get my own place," she said, smoothing her hands down his chest. Tilting her head to one side, she kissed her way down the side of his jaw and over his neck, running her teeth over his pulse point.

 **Mike** Mike settled back against the seat of the tub and let out a sigh as the hot water soothed his aching body. The ice baths helped keep the swelling down and worked to keep everything in decent shape for as long as possible, but hot water relaxed everything. Ginny on top of him was icing on the cake. Mike quickly took her into his arms, pulling her close and letting out a small groan when he felt her mouth on his neck. “Just stay here. Never leave.” He said flippantly. “In fact, don’t ever move from this spot. You’ll be happy. It’ll be fine.”

 **Ginny**     Ginny laughed into his skin. "I'm not moving in with you," she told him, sliding her hands down his chest and below the water. She scratched her fingers along his lower abdomen and through the happy trail she found before wrapping her hand around his member. Her mouth continued down his neck and over his shoulder, sucking at the juncture between the two. She had a sudden urge to mark him up but she knew she couldn't. "I don't think we would ever get anything productive done."

 **Mike** “If that’s your only reason, I’m calling the movers tomorrow.” He teased. “We’ve both done plenty for the world. It’s time for a break.” Mike hissed at the feeling of her calloused, perfect hands on his cock, jutting against her hand a bit almost purely on reflex. Noticing her gaze on his chest, he realized instantly what she was thinking. “Go ahead if you want. But we’ll have to figure out a way to explain it in the locker room.” He warned. Mike quickly realized, however, that the team would not be seeing her without a shirt on, which meant he was free to do his worst. Grinning widely he lowered his head to the top of her breast, biting greedily at the skin before running the tip of his tongue over the nipple.

 **Ginny** Ginny laughed. "I think it might just take a small SUV to pack my stuff up," she retorted. It wasn't as if she had furniture and most of her clothes could be stuffed in a duffle bag or two. "But that's not the only reason. The Omni is close to the club and I'll need to be close by once I can get back to working out. I need to get ready for spring training in Arizona." Ginny smiled and pressed her nose up along his throat. "You think they'll expect something beyond 'Lawson got laid' as an explanation?" She let out a shuddering breath at his tongue on her nipple, squirming in his lap. She rubbed his dick, root to tip, brushing her thumb over the head of it.

 **Mike**       “Don’t need training. You’re already perfect.” He replied hastily. Pausing for a brief second, he let out a loud sigh. “Fine, you can leave for games, but as soon as we get the rings, that’s over.” He announced, as if allowing such a thing was beyond generous before moving his head back to her chest. “Just stay.” He nearly whined. “As for the marks, yeah, the team probably won’t think much. But then they’ll start making bets on who gave them,” He murmured, switching his lips to her other breast as he spoke. “And then I’ll want to brag but I won’t be able to, which will piss me off.” He bit down on her nipple, sucking greedily before moving to the skin between both breasts and focusing his attention there. Thrusting against her hand, his eyes fell shut. “Faster, baby.” He groaned. 

 **Ginny**     Ginny snorted in amusement. "That's not what you'll be saying when we're back on the field. You ride me hard out there," she snickered. She wondered how difficult it would be to stare into his crotch for hours now that she knew what he was packing down there. She chuckled as he whined, practically begging her to stay. "Maybe we should revisit this after we've been together for more than three seconds." She couldn't deny that the thought of living with Mike appealed to her. Waking up to him in the morning, feeling his arms around her as they went to sleep, being able to go over hitters in this very Jacuzzi. Though clothes would probably be required. Still, it was fast and they had only just begun this. Not to mention she really did like being so close to Petco. A frustrated sound rumbled in her throat at all his arguments about why she couldn't leave marks. "Don't care." She bit down on his shoulder as he bit her nipples, making her back arch and her breasts pushing further against his face. At his request, she moved her hand faster along him, twisting her wrist when she reached the top, a trick she had learned from Kara that was supposed to drive men crazy. "Like that?"

 **Mike** At first the notion of her staying had come as a joke, but the more they talked about it, the more appealing it sounded. Mike knew it was crazy, of course, but at the present moment he felt so high on adrenaline and adoration for the girl in his arms, he probably could’ve been talked into Vegas if she asked. “Fine, we’ll figure it out tomorrow.” He agreed quickly. Mike actually had to stop moving his lips on her skin in order to release the groan deep in the back of his throat. She was killing him. Now faster than ever, she was absolutely driving him towards an early death. And he couldn’t even bring himself to care. “Yeah, right like that. Shit, Ginny, fuck.” His eyes fell closed as she continued to touch him, one of his hands holding on to her hip while the other found its way between her legs. Despite being in the water, he could feel her wetness against his fingers, letting out another groan as he slipped two inside of her with ease.

 **Ginny**     Mike was a mouthy son of a bitch and it appeared he followed that right into sex. Ginny kind of love it. She loved hearing how much she turned him on and she found herself wanting to bring him more pleasure just to hear him. She moved her hand faster, the water splashing against their chests. When his fingers eased inside of her, she let out a gasp of her own, but this wasn't from her own pleasure. Despite her wetness, she was sore and the two fingers inside of her hurt. Her hand against him faltered for a moment as her face screwed up in shocked pain.

 **Mike** For someone that didn’t have a whole lot of experience in the sex department, Ginny was a damn marvel. Then again, Mike supposed, she did have a natural talent using her hands. Apparently that extended beyond the field. The instant her breathing changed, Mike knew something wasn’t right. His entire body froze at the sound of her gasp. “What happened? What’s wrong?” he asked quickly.

 **Ginny** The way Mike's body froze underneath her had her withdrawing her hand from his dick, resting it on his thigh instead. "Nothing," she said, smoothing her frown out into a smile. She knew she should be honest with him but she felt weird about admitting that she was sore. It wasn't as if he knew she was inexperienced but this was a little ridiculous. "I'm fine...just..." She made a face. "I'm just a little...sore, I guess."

 **Mike**       Mike could have slapped himself. It didn’t even occur to him to think about how sore she must have been. Ignoring the egotistical side of things, the biological truth was that he had a big dick, and it was a factor in a lot of ways for women. “Shit, Ginny, I’m sorry. I didn’t even think- I’m sorry.” He reached up to cup her face, kissing her tenderly in apology. “I should have realized.” Kissing her again, he stroked her cheek with his thumb before asking, “Do you want to go back to what we were doing or just back off for a while? It’s your call.” He wanted her to understand there was no pressure whatsoever for her to do anything she didn’t fully desire.

 **Ginny**     Ginny squirmed a little, ducking her head a little as if she had something to be embarrassed about, even as Mike was the one apologizing. "No, it's...I'm sorry," she said, though she wasn't entirely sure why she was apologizing. Apologizing for not being more experienced. Apologizing for ruining the mood. "I probably just need a day or something. I don't know. This hasn't ever happened to me before." She melted a little as he put the ball in her court, always so tender and considerate. "Are you still...?" She brushed her hand along his member to see if he hadn't flagged with the awkwardness of the situation, at least as she saw it.

 **Mike** If there was one thing Mike wouldn’t allow in their newfound relationship, it was for Ginny to be embarrassed or ashamed. He was the king of fuck ups in every sense of the word, and for her to feel inferior or in any way self conscious around him was downright silly. “You don’t get to apologize. It’s my fault. Literally.” Mike grinned at her cheekily. “Seriously, it’s okay. We can try again later if you want. Lube will help a lot. And my tongue can be pretty damn impressive.” Dropping more kisses against the side of her face, he nipped at the skin behind her ear. Lifting his hips just a bit, he nudged her hip with his still hard cock, muttering a quiet, “Mhmm,” in answer to her question. “But I can take care of it.” He repeated. “Seriously. We can do whatever you want. No big deal.”

 **Ginny** Ginny huffed out a little laugh, erasing most of the embarrassment. The rest of it disappeared when her stomach dropped when he mentioned his tongue, and her eyes darted down to his mouth. "Yeah," she breathed out, her own tongue dragging over her lower lip. "That will definitely be happening." There were really no limits to how much Mike could turn her on and she knew there was a lot to explore between them when it came to sex. She shook off his offers to take care of himself, wrapping her hand around his cock again. "Isn't this one of the perks of having a girlfriend?" She leaned her forehead against his before nuzzling against the side of his face. "You're amazing, Mike, so amazing."

 **Mike** “I thought exclusivity was the main perk of having a girlfriend. Required hand jobs are a perk of having a sex slave.” He couldn’t help but quip. Tipping his head back slightly, Mike kissed her deeply, allowing himself to completely relax against her body. “I like the sound of that though. My girl Ginny Baker. All mine.” He murmured. The feeling of her hand against his throbbing member damn near made his head spin, making him moan out her name. “I love you, Gin.” He promised against the side of her head.

 **Ginny**     Ginny arched a brow at him. "You have some experience with sex slaves?" she asked. "Or is this one of those 'I've been around a long time' moments." She met his mouth with her tongue and teeth, moaning into her mouth. Despite the soreness between her legs, she was incredibly turned on.  "I'm yours, Mike," she panted against his mouth. "Want to be yours." She pushed her breasts against his chest, rubbing up against him as her hand moved faster and faster on him.

 **Mike**       He loved the way it sounded. His. Ginny Baker, his girlfriend. Mike’s girlfriend Ginny. Sorry, Ginny’s off limits. She’s with Mike. Oh, Ginny? Nah, she’s taken. By who? Mike Lawson. It all sounded completely possessive and masculinity power-driven and probably made his ideals those belonging back over half a century, but Mike didn’t care. It wasn’t like he thought of Ginny as his property; he was just as much hers as she was his. More so probably, if he was honest. He just liked knowing he was the only one that got to see her like this, to be with her in this way- that she chose him. Mike felt like he couldn’t get enough of her fast enough- there wasn’t enough of him to touch everywhere he wanted at one time. One hand squeezed against her perfect ass while the other squeezed at her breast, pinching and pulling at the nipple while his mouth worked diligently on marking her clavicle. “Gin, I’m close,” he stuttered between curses. “Fuck, I’m so close.”

 **Ginny**     Ginny adjusted the spread of her legs, dragging one knee between his, which allowed her to settle her sex over his thigh. Experimentally, she rolled her hips down, gasping out at the feeling of his muscled thigh between her legs. "S'ok?" she asked, inquiring after his knees, even as her hips automatically rolled again. There was a minor sliver of pain from the pressure on her own end but it was far outweighed by the pleasure she felt as she rode his leg. She thought it was entirely possible that she could come just like this with Mike marking her skin and rolling her nipple between his fingers, but the distraction of her own pleasure appeared to be too much for her to continue stroking him properly. After a few rolls of her hips, she aborted the movement to focus on stroking him, noting the smooth texture of him, except for the vein that seemed to throb under her grasp. She was still stunned by his size and found herself wondering if she could fit him in her mouth or if it would take some practice for her to take him. She dropped her head against his, nuzzling against the side of his face and catching the lobe of his ear between her teeth. "I want to feel you on my tongue," she panted in his ear, dragging her tongue along the shell of it. Her words weren't meant as seduction or dirty talk but were uttered in a matter of fact way, as if she were telling him what she wanted for dinner. "When you have your face between my thighs, I want you to cum in my mouth." Her thighs clenched around his leg. No matter her intentions, her own words certainly were turning her on.

 **Mike** He was literally seconds away from coming against her hand. The added new friction of her hips against his thigh only made it worse, and the sounds she was making Mike was positive were purely to torture him for every past sin he had committed in life. The dirty words in his ear were too much, his erection now at a level of pain Mike was sure had to be registered as some form of inhumanity by the Geneva Convention. They did, however, force his mind to work as he tried to decipher what she meant. “Baby, if you’re talking about going down on me while I eat you out, we’re gonna have to get out of this tub now.” He nearly spit the words from his mouth between gasps. The tightening of her thighs against him was all the confirmation Mike needed, damn near tossing her from his lap as he jumped out of the tub and dragged her with him in a lust-filled frenzy. Making it just through the open doors to his house, Mike kicked the door shut behind him and all but tackled Ginny to the floor.

 **Ginny** Ginny certainly hadn't meant for them to do the things she was muttering to him right this second, but apparently Mike couldn't wait. Before she could really comprehend what was happening, she tumbled back in the water in surprise, splashing a little as she tried to gain her bearings. She just barely got her footing underneath her when Mike tugged her out of the pool and dragged her back into the house. Her eyes went wide when his body met hers and they went down on the floor together, the breath knocked out of her with a loud gasp. On the one hand, his need to have her now was pretty hot. On the other- "Mike," she snapped, shoving at his dripping chest. "If you don't stop dragging me around like a rag doll, I am going to kick your ass and other unpleasant things." She pulled a knee up to his chest to help put some distance between them, taking several deep breaths to try and get air back in her chest.

 **Mike** Ginny’s words were like a bucket of cold water being poured over his head. In an instant, Mike realized how quickly they’d gotten from one area to another and the force he’d used. “Fuck,” he cursed, a grimace appearing on his face as he looked down at her. “Fuck, Ginny, I’m so sorry. I didn’t realize-” The fact that she’d so obviously put space between them because he’d been so rough was like a knife through his heart. “Jesus Christ.” Mike went to reach for her but thought better of it and pulled his hands back, running them over his face in disgust and fury at himself. Forcing himself to take a few deep breaths so he didn’t wind up completely freaking the hell out, Mike finally raised his eyes from his palms and looked over to her. “I’m sorry.” He said again, his voice quiet with shame. “I lose control and I didn’t even realize- you drive me crazy, Gin. But that’s not an excuse.” He rambled, words coming faster as he tried to explain. “I just- fuck, I’m sorry.”

 **Ginny**     Ginny dropped her leg back to the ground and slowly sat up. "Mike," she said his name again, voice a little softer but still stern. "Shut up." It wasn't quite as much of a deal as Mike seemed to think it was but she had just needed to get through to him and get him to give her a minute. She scooted closer to him and tossed one of her long legs over his lap. "It's fine. I just needed a second." She tried to reach out to him with both hands but of course, her one arm was still strapped to her chest. With a frustrated sound, she reached to the brace on her injured arm and tore it off. It, admittedly, didn't feel great but she was prepared for the pain and showed no outward signs of it, even as she reached for him with both hands. She cupped his chin with both hands and pulled him forward so she could kiss him. "It's alright, baby, it's alright." She was much more soothing now as she muttered against his mouth, pressing their lips together in a gentle rhythm as she leaned back against the floor, taking him with her so he was pressed over her body.

 **Mike** He’d never been this way before. Never been rough with a woman unless she was aware of what was happening and on board with it. Never lost control like this- not even with Rachel. Then again, Ginny was different from any of his past relationships (or non-relationships, which there were a lot more of). Regardless, it bothered Mike that he’d hurt her, even a little, even if by accident, even if she didn’t think it was a big deal. “Won’t happen again.” He promised, hoping she could see how serious he was. His mouth was open and ready to protest her removing the brace when he stopped at the last second. She was an adult and could make her own choices. But he would make sure to be extra careful and not let her use the injured limb very much. Focusing back on the woman returning to his arms, Mike tightened his hold on her body and laid down with her. “You still sore?” he questioned after a few minutes of heavy kissing. From the way she was acting and the close proximity of their pelvises, he assumed this was a cue to try again at going all the way, but he had to be sure.

 **Ginny** Ginny was glad it didn't have to become a thing and that he returned to her easily enough. As they kissed, she slid her hand down to grasp him again. He had definitely flagged a little, probably with the shame he had feeling that he hurt her, but Ginny coaxed him back to hardness, using the water and the precum dribbling from his head to lubricate the way. Despite the slipperiness between her own thighs she still was sore and knew it would hurt to take him but she didn't care. "Yeah," she said. "But it's okay." She draped one leg around his waist as she rubbed the head of his cock between her wet folds. "Just go slow, okay?"

 **Mike** He’d softened a little from the shock and upset of the last few minutes, but the feeling of Ginny’s hands back on his cock took care of the issue almost instantly. She was okay, that was what mattered. If she was fine, so was he. Mike slid a hand between them to rub against her slick lips, coating his fingers in the moisture as he tried to help prepare her for what was coming. It was clear she was still incredibly sensitive, which he more than understood, making him nod at her request to slow the pace. He removed his fingers and licked the digits, a moan slipping from his lips as she poked his head at her center until a single thought struck him like a bolt of lightning. “Condom,” he all but cried, the thought of trekking all the way up to his second floor to grab protection was enough to nearly bring a tear to his eyes, but he also knew damn well that pulling out was only so effective. Being a guy, Mike was obviously more than willing to take the risk, but he refused to not even bring it up to Ginny.

 **Ginny** Ginny let out an encouraging, low moan as he rubbed at her lips, rocking her hips a little. Since she had dropped her hands from his face, her injured arm had laid prone across her chest, too painful and weak to be any more useful. Now, she curled her hand so she could tug on her own nipple, wanting to bring her own body as much pleasure to prepare for the inevitable pain of him entering her again. As for protection, Ginny didn't need a lightning bolt moment because she had already thought about protection and dismissed it. "I'm okay," she told him, gently, letting him know she was protected by other means. Her hand slid away from his dick and over onto his thigh before pushing firmly so that he would slid to the side of her. It might seem like for a moment, she was pushing him away, contrary to her words, but instead she pushed him onto his back and climbed on top of him. She gritted her teeth as her arm lost its natural resting spot and for a moment she regretted the switch, but then her eyes met his from above and she was lost to anything but him. With her good hand braced on his chest, she slowly lifted herself to rest over him and excruciatingly slowly began to slide down ono his cock.

 **Mike**       Mike could see the discomfort on her face because of the injured arm, and made a silent promise that they’d refrain anything as crazy as their current situation until she was healed. For now, he watched for a moment as she struggled until finally raising a hand to her waist supporting the injured side of her body in place of her arm. “I got it,” he promised through ragged breaths. Mike let her move their two bodies around as she desired, moving with the pressure of her silent directions without question. She was in charge this time; he had no problem with that. His dick, however, apparently appreciated the sentiment disregarding the condom, growing harder as she spoke and slowly began to take him in. His free hand tangled itself in her curly locks, eyes finding Ginny’s as she carefully lowered herself onto him. Even if she was on another form of birth control, it meant the world that she trusted him enough to do this without a barrier. It was also a huge turn on.

 **Ginny**     Feeling Mike without the barrier of a condom was another experience altogether. Ginny had never slept with someone without the use of a condom and there was nothing that could have prepared her for the feeling of him inside of her, skin to skin in the most intimate of places. He was so, so hot and smooth. Ginny's eyes went wide and her mouth fell open as stuttered breathing passed through her lips. It hurt, there was no escaping that, but the mere idea of them joining like this was so incredibly attractive that it almost didn't matter.  Still, her body took barely anything past the head before she lifted herself back up, despite her pussy's clenching desperately around him. Her body shook and trembled as she stared down at him, her palm curling into a fist against his chest. Just as slowly she slid back down over him, barely taking any more before she stopped her body's descent. Her body was at war with itself, both wanting to drop down and take all of his velvety dick inside of her and wanting to pull away from the intense intrusion. She could only imagine how torturous it must feel for him.

 **Mike** When he had been in his sleeping-around phase after the divorce, Mike had never (no, literally, never) had sex with a woman sans condom. With Rachel it had only happened a handful of times, and before getting with her only maybe twice with other women. He was a careful man, one who refused to have any surprises pop up and run the risk of interfering with his career and life plans. Plans that included kids, absolutely, but always later; down the line; eventually; someday. It was only after the divorce was done with that Mike realized he’d let eventually and someday pass without even noticing. Being here now, with Ginny, he felt like maybe his chance at not even children, but just happiness and companionship wasn’t completely dead and over. It was agonizing, her slow pace, but he knew how much pain she had to be in from the look of desperation on her face. “Gin, look at me. You’re okay. You’re alright.” Mike spoke gently, wanting more than anything to help her enjoy this. “I’m right here with you, okay? Come here.” He pressed several deep kisses to her lips as an attempt to comfort and distract her, meanwhile moving his one hand from her hair down between their bodies until he found her clit. Taking the nub between his fingers, he fondled the bundle of nerves gently, rocking his hips slowly against hers in long, soothing strokes.

 **Ginny**     Ginny swallowed audibly when he spoke to her and she just nodded her head, dumbly, as if she might agree with anything he said right then. She leaned down to find his mouth with hers as he drew her in, the movement causing her to sink down a little on him. Her fingers flexed, nails digging into his skin. "It feels-it feels," she panted, her eyes still wide and surprised. When his fingers found her clit, her hips dipped down against his fingers, pushing her even further down on his cock, and both her hands shot out to press against his chest and push off, her back arching. The movement brought him, finally, all the way inside of her and she cried out, eyes slamming shut. Her body was trembling and twitching around him as she took deep, gulping breaths, waiting to see if her body would actually adjust.

 **Mike**       Mike let out a string of obscenities when he finally bottomed out. It truly was proof of just how much he loved her that he was able to hold back from getting himself off at the present moment and focus on her completely. He could tell at least some of what he was doing was working, due to the pain in her eyes dulling slightly and being replaced with almost frustration as she moved around attempting to find the right angle. “Good girl, Gin. That’s it.” He encouraged, hoping the praise helped distract and turn her on more. Mike shifted slightly from his position on the floor, angling his body slowly with her in an attempt to ease the tension in her muscles as he continued to move gently. “I love you,” Mike murmured, continuing to stroke at her clit with the pad of his thumb. “I love you so much, Ginny. Come on, baby, you’re right there.”

 **Ginny**     Ginny wouldn't wait to feel him without the pain, couldn't wait until it was just his molten heat burning her from the inside out. The praise drew her eyes back open so she could look down at him once more, her lip twitching into a smile briefly. She moved with the gentle rhythm of his body, scratching her blunt nails down his chest. It was strange the way he said that he loved her made her want to say it back. It seemed he had been saying it for so long, but the words had only left his mouth for the first time earlier that day. How so much had changed between them in such short a time. At the second love confession, Ginny let her fingers brush over his mouth to feel the words leave them. After he stopped speaking, she gently eased her thumb into his mouth, brushing the digit over his teeth. Her hips worked in slowly, minuscule movements, but she wasn't sure if it would be enough for him. "I can't...," she shook her head. She thought she could handle it but she thought now that she had maybe been a little overconfident. "Do you want me to-?" She gestured to her mouth as if to indicate that she would suck him off.

 **Mike** Deep down, Mike knew it wasn’t his lack of ability to pleasure her that was keeping this from happening. It was biology, plain and simple, and it was working against them. Still, he hated knowing he wasn’t able to get her off like this. He took her fingers into his mouth and sucked on the digits, biting gently. He more than loved her for offering to help him out, but at the moment his concern was completely on her. This wasn’t the first time his dick was painfully hard for a long amount of time because of her and it wouldn’t be the last. He could wait a few more minutes. “You first.” Mike answered. Slowly helping her slide off his lap, he let out a groan at the loss of contact but kept his focus completely on the task at hand. Laying her back on the tile floor, Mike made sure her injured arm was out of the way before kissing Ginny’s mouth deeply, moving to trail a series of butterfly kisses down her torso before stopping at her belly and looking up to double check she was okay with what he wanted to do.

 **Ginny** Ginny could almost cry from frustration and embarrassment, and she flung her good arm over her heated face to cover her eyes, even as Mike kissed her mouth. Mike was super sweet and God, she could kill him for it right now.  Her stomach was flipping unpleasantly and as much as she really wanted to feel his beard between her legs, she knew her embarrassment had dimmed her interest. She felt him hesitate and she finally pulled her arm from over her face, so she could look down at him. There were really two options to be had. First, she could allow him to continue to what would probably be a very uncomfortable few moments before she felt the need to fake it. Second, she could take charge of the situation. With a tiny sigh, Ginny pulled herself into a sitting position and reached out to him. "That's really sweet of you, but I think it'd work better for me if I could put your cock in my mouth first."

 **Mike** Mike was trying to be a gentleman. Contrary to popular belief, he tried to do so quite often. People were assholes and he hated them for the most part, but he always tried to be a decent guy when it came to women simply because he knew it was the right thing to do. In this case, it was because he completely adored the woman before him, so of course her needs were more important than his. She was incredible, that was clear. But after hearing her announcement which, ironically, didn’t seem intended to be dirty at all, Mike Lawson decided he was allowed to be selfish for a few minute, especially since he could tell Ginny was being sincere with her offer. Leaning in to press another firm kiss to her lips, he nodded. “Do whatever you want, Gin. You know I’m all yours.” He paused then and quickly added, “We should move somewhere more comfortable though.” Pulling himself up from the kitchen floor with the help of a nearby bar stool, Mike grunted a bit and then offered Ginny a hand before leading her to the living room and taking a seat on the sofa.

 **Ginny** Ginny bit back a retort about his knees, even though she definitely believed that for both of their sakes, where they screwed would have to be a little more thoughtful. She followed him to the living room, cradling her injured arm to her chest. An ice pack and a heating pad were definitely in her future, but for now she had a man to suck off. When he settled at the couch, she stood for a moment before him, gazing down at him, before sinking to her knees in front of him. She scratched her fingers down his thighs, staring at his dick, which was red at the tip and still mostly hard. She wet her palm with a long lick from her tongue before reaching out to stroke him. Her tongue struck out again, leaving behind shining, damp lips. She had done this before, but not often enough that she felt any kind of expert at it. Still, she was eager to taste him finally and she ducked her head forward, her jaw bumping against his cock briefly before she opened her mouth around the tip and drew him into her mouth. Feeling him heated and heavy on her tongue was a heady feeling and she moaned around him, eyes sliding closed in contentment.

 **Mike**       There was a brief flicker in Mike’s mind of happiness that finally Ginny seemed comfortable. That was quickly replaced, however, by the intense feeling of pleasure that came when her lips touched his cock. The sensation alone made him harder than ever, her wet tongue circling his tip setting his nerve endings on fire. Mike let out a slew of curses as his head fell back against the sofa, his hands clutching at the cushions next to him desperately. The image of Ginny Baker on her knees was going to be permanently stamped in his mind until time itself ended, and he was okay with that. “I’m not gonna last long,” he warned through a few pants. He’d been ready for a while, so the time span of this, however much he wished otherwise, was not going to be very long.  

 **Ginny**     Ginny hummed in amusement around him at his comment before withdrawing her mouth as she stroked him root to tip with her hand. "You've lasted plenty long," she pointed out before she took him in her mouth again. This time she sealed her lips tight and pushed her head forward to take more of him. She definitely wouldn't be taking all of him any time soon, if ever, but she did her best to make up for it by stroking her spit slick palm over the remaining length. He tasted good. Like, salt and chlorine and something she suspected might be her, but also something that she recognized as uniquely him as well. Something she had tasted on the rest of his skin. She closed her eyes and let herself focus on the that taste, slowly working up the thud of pleasure in her own belly. He was right, of course, in that it only took a handful more pulls of her palm and the tip of her tongue to the slit of his dick before he was spilling over her tongue. She drew back enough that she didn't choke, his cum spurting over her chest with one hitting her in the chin. Ginny stroked him through it until he seemed too sensitive and then she backed off, rubbing her hand at the cum on her chin and licking it off with small swipes of her tongue.

Her eyes met his and the heat she saw there made her realize she was inadvertently putting on a show for him with the kitten licks of her tongue to her calloused fingertips. It was another reminder of the effect she had on him just by being her and she suddenly got an idea. She pressed her hand against his thigh, leaning forward slightly. "Stay," she told him before pulling herself to her feet. She barely moved, instead sliding her ass back onto the coffee table and spreading herself wide for him. "I want you to watch."

 **Mike** It wasn’t something he was going to be admitting any time soon purely because of his own pride, but Mike had been having dirty thoughts about Ginny Baker since before she first stepped foot onto the field at Petco Park. It started out generic- pretty girl, acknowledging a cute face and nice ass, and that was it. Then he got his first taste of Ginny Baker in the flesh. She was a spitfire and, he couldn’t lie, that was a turn on. So yeah, he thought about her a little more. But still, she was a rookie and a teammate and a baby. It was when they went out to the club all together for the first time Mike really realized how bad things were getting. Seeing her move on the dance floor made a lot of dirty thoughts come to his mind, which was why he’d bailed as quick as he could and ultimately wound up screwing her agent. When the incident with Omar occurred, Mike knew he was completely and utterly fucked. He hadn’t even realized how she was the one he now thought of every time he got off, whether he was with another girl or alone in his shower. 

The real thing, he could now honestly say, was way better than every fantasy. Her name was the only thing Mike could utter as he let go completely, spurting hot and fast, the sight of Ginny lapping up his cum only spurring him on further. After he’d finished, he collapsed back against the sofa, catching his breath and unable to keep from laughing a little. “Jesus Christ, you’re…” he couldn’t even find the proper words to convey how much he adored her. Mike Lawson was a goner, that was for damn sure. 

His jaw dropped slightly at her sudden change of pace. He stole the briefest of kisses from her lips before she pulled back, his eyes going wide as she opened herself before him. “Watch?” Mike choked out. “Not touch?”

 **Ginny**     Ginny slid her good hand through the mess on her chest. She hadn't ever really gotten the appeal of being covered in someone's cum before, so sure it was just a man thing, but the sticky, warm mess of Mike's all over her was definitely doing things for her. "There's definitely going to be touching," she said as she scooped some of his cum onto her fingers and then dropped her hand down between her legs. She slid her sticky fingers between her lips, gentle to test her sensitivity, her chin dropping down so she could watch as she spread his cum against herself. She would definitely be playing above the sea level, so to speak, but that was okay. She strummed one finger along her clit, her stomach tightening with pleasure. "Mmmm, Mike." She bit her lip as she scratched her fingers through the dark curls between her thighs, dampening them with moisture that was part him, part her.

 **Mike** He was going to die. That was it, plain and simple. Mike was going to die today. He’d had a good life, all things considered. Worked hard, had a great career, made good friends, seen a lot of the world. His marriage had failed, but it was a good try, and hell, his body was going to shit anyway so dying today wasn’t like he was losing much. But this was definitely it. Sitting here, watching Ginny Baker, covered in his cum, after sucking his dick, touch her soaking pussy with his cum on her fingers- this was the end. But what a way to go. It was all Mike could do not to drool as he deftly stared with wide eyes at the sight before him, using every bit of strength in his existence not to move from his spot on the sofa. Despite the old age and typical necessity for a break between rounds, he found his dick getting harder by the second. After a few minutes, he finally managed to croak out a single word, not unlike a dying man begging for water after being stranded in the desert. “Please.”

 **Ginny** Ginny would have liked to be smug about the way she was affecting Mike but once she looked up and saw the way he was looking at her, she couldn't feel anything other than the buzz of pleasure that urged her to touch herself. Her fingers rolled against the bundle of her nerves and she squirmed on the coffee table, which was no longer cold against her ass. It was slick and as her skin scooted across it, it squelched. She struggled against her bodies desire to flatten against the coffee table but she didn't want to let Mike out of her sight. As she rubbed quicker, she whimpered his name, but it was hearing his one word that her body finally exploded, as if he was begging her to let herself cum, to let herself feel that pleasure. Her thighs twitched and she fell back against the coffee table, writhing on top of it until the white explosions behind her eyelids could be blinked away. Her body was heaving off the table as she tried to catch her breath, but she didn't lift herself up. She wasn't entirely sure she could.

 **Mike** Coffee would never be the same again. Hell, at this point, nothing would. He was going to see her everywhere now- the hot tub, the kitchen floor, his bed, and if he had his way, pretty much every other surface of his home within the coming days. It was somewhat of a mixture between a nightmare and dream come true watching Ginny come undone before him, as well as quite possibly the most beautiful sight he’d ever seen. Once she was finished Mike decided he could no longer hold back, finally rising from the sofa and climbing over her on the coffee table- to hell with the stupid thing if it broke- and kissed her with everything in him. “I love you, I love you, I love you.” The words were like a mantra on his lips between long strokes of his tongue against hers. In this moment, literally nothing else in the world mattered and Mike was positive he’d never felt quite so sated and complete in all his years.

 **Ginny**     "Mike," Ginny whispered his name like he was responsible for all the pleasure coursing through her body. Which, he definitely was. It might not have been his fingers working her over but it wouldn't have been that way without him. She kissed him for a long time, running her fingers through his hair. His words sent a shiver through her body that had not even yet stopped it's trembling. "I'm pretty sure you're going to need to give your housekeeper a raise." She smiled up at him, her eyes narrow, sleepy slits. "Also, pretty sure your naps are rubbing off on me."

 **Mike**       Mike nodded absentmindedly, his focus still completely on Ginny as she spoke. “Done.” The housekeeper could take the whole house if she felt like it, for all he cared. He continued pressing tender kisses against every space of skin he could reach, his gaze remaining on Ginny as he moved. Mike could only chuckle at the thought of how much of a mess they both probably looked, covered in a mix of each other’s bodily fluids, hair sticking out in every direction, covered in bite marks and bruises and grinning like morons. “We can nap on the couch,” he finally agreed, taking her good arm and slowly helping her move from the hard surface onto the sofa. “Then we shower. Or use the jaccuzi tub. Either way, there will be a lot of kissing. I’m gonna be kissing you for a while.” He informed her seriously, his own eyes tired but filled with complete adoration as he stared at her.


	7. My Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which there is a bath and Mike makes a case for Ginny to move in.
> 
>  _I can see us holding hands_  
>  Walking on the beach, our toes in the sand  
> I can see us on the countryside  
> Sitting on the grass, laying side by side  
> You could be my baby, let me make you my lady  
> -My Love, Justin Timberlake

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: No sex, but there is nakedness and some light Daddy kink.
> 
> Spoilers: Nothing explicit except for 1x10. General season one spoilers.
> 
> Follow us on tumblr  
> trenchcoatstories  
> 

**Ginny** The heat of the bathwater had turned Mike's skin pink but Ginny could still make out the dark pink crescent shaped marks she had made with her nails just above his left nipple. "I think you should call her Nancy tomorrow," she commented lightly as she rubbed her fingers over the marks. It was mostly meant as a joke but he was definitely marked up enough that he would get some catcalls at the very least, including a significant bite mark at the juncture of his shoulder and neck. She had to admit she liked seeing the marks but she couldn't help but wonder if she didn't need to be more careful. Mike was tucked in the v of her legs beneath the swirling bathwater of his frankly amazing tub. It hummed lightly as the jets thudded against her sore muscles and she groaned, dropping her face into the crook of his neck. "This tub could actually make me stay here."

 **Mike** Mike had never been much of a bath person. Even when it came to fooling around, he was more of a dirty in the shower stall type of guy. However, when Ginny had suggested a soak in the tub after waking up from their afternoon activities, Mike found himself agreeing instantly. It was a bizarre change of pace for her to be the one holding him, but he had to admit he didn’t hate it. Lying against her soft body with her hands running against his skin was soothing as hell (and yeah, her boobs squished against his back didn’t hurt). His body looked like he’d been mauled, which, to be honest, he kind of had. Ginny wasn’t any better, bruises the size of his fingerprints littering her hips along with countless bite marks and hickies scattering her person, and Mike couldn’t help but feel an overwhelming sense of pride whenever he saw them. “Ginny sounds better,” Mike grumbled, his grumpiness almost like that of a schoolboy who didn’t get his way. He didn’t want to lie about what happened. On the contrary, he wanted to shout it from the rooftops. Or at least his cubby in the clubhouse. Her mention of sticking around made him perk up slightly. “Don’t joke, Rookie.” he warned. “I’ll hold you to that.”

 **Ginny**     Ginny chuckled at this petulance. "Maybe, but I think even Shrek might be smart enough to put two and two together if you say that," she said, letting her hand slid down his chest to rest low on his abdomen and then tracing the grove on his hip. The movements were almost absent, exploratory but without intentions.

"Alright, alright. Maybe I could just get one installed at the Omni. The tubs there could definitely use an upgrade." She might have simply put it on a list of her must haves for her own place but Ginny really wasn't sure any tub could beat the location of the Omni.

 **Mike** “So what? Let him.” Mike continued to pout, almost mumbling to himself at this point. “They’d probably be happy I wasn’t so angry anymore. I’d tell ‘em off if they weren’t. ‘m the captain, dammit…” A small sigh escaped his lips as her hands continued to wander across his body. “That feels good,” he murmured, his own hands running the length of her perfect legs. “The Omni sucks. It’s too small and impersonal and nobody there is nearly as handsome of a roommate as me.” Mike pointed out. “Just stay here. I’ve got room. Hell, you can have one of the guest rooms if you really want- not that you’d ever use it.” He couldn’t help but add the last part under his breath. It was the truth.

 **Ginny** Ginny's fingers stopped their exploration of his body and instead fell to the white tile of the tub, fingernails tapping a few times against it with a 'clink'. "You knew how this had to be," she said, quietly, pressing her head back and raising her gaze to the ceiling. There was never any question that they would be able to tell anyone, at least not in Ginny's mind. She hadn't even wanted to tell Blip, at least not in the beginning. The only one she had intentions of telling was Amelia and that was necessity. She sighed a little as he continued with his criticism of the Omni. "If your place was one Black Violin song from Petco, I might be tempted."

 **Mike** Mike knew why they had to keep things quiet. It was the right move, he knew that too. Too much was on the line for both of them, but especially her. If this got out right now it had the possibility of seriously screwing with her career, and that was the absolute last thing he wanted. It was just really appealing to think about walking into the clubhouse with her on his arm, able to tell the guys to fuck off when they looked at her too long, to tell the world that yeah, for some ungodly reason, she picked him. “I know. I’m just being  grumpy.” Mike assured her quietly. “Turns out I’m pretty fond of you.” He picked up the hand of her injured arm and pressed a kiss to the palm, linking their fingers after. “I have a car. Many cars, actually. Nice cars. Car dealerships, even.” He mentioned. “And I happen to know a chauffeur that is damn good looking. Model status, actually.”

 **Ginny** Ginny hadn't realized that she had actually tensed up a little until she was able to relax fully as he assured her he was fine with keeping things quiet. She needed Mike to understand that this needed to be kept quiet, needed him to be okay with it, because it wouldn't work for her if it couldn't be kept among just a small circle (as small as possible really). Perhaps there was a maybe someday, but she couldn't even really think about that now. She turned her lips to press against the side of his forehead, pressing a short appreciative kiss to his temple. She let her chin drop to rest against his shoulder as she listened to him try and make the case for her staying at Casa Lawson, but she just made an unimpressed sound. "I can't think of anyone pretty enough to still beat the Omni's location, except maybe Clayton Kershaw."

 **Mike**       He knew having her move in was fast. Like, way too fast. Crazy fast. Insane, even. But then again, so was this whole situation in the first place. It was insane that a 36 year old catcher was completely infatuated with his 23 year old rookie in more than just a sexual way. It was insane that the first woman in the MLB had sex with her captain. Nothing about this situation was normal, which, in its own weird way, was slowly becoming normal. It didn’t make a lot of sense. But Mike was positive it was what he wanted. “Clayton Kershaw has a big chin and a kid. You don’t want to deal with either of those things.” He dismissed, turning his head so that he could nuzzle her cheek with his nose. “Plus I sincerely doubt he can cook as well as me. Also, you’re kind of into me. Just admit it, Baker.”

 **Ginny**     Ginny's mouth fell open a little in mock shock. "His chin is perfectly proportional!" she replied, flicking water at him. "Regardless, I think you are missing the reality of how much I like being so close to Petco. Besides, I get the feeling that all the perks of Casa Lawson are probably pretty distracting from all the work I have to get done this offseason." She nudged her toes against his calf and brushed them up in a teasing way. "I think you're just overestimating your appeal, Lawson."

 **Mike**       “See, you’re looking at this all wrong.” Mike replied, a playful glint in his eye as he explained it to her. “Petco is close to the Omni, I’ll give you that. But all the distractions you’re talking about here? Not the case. They’re perks.” He revealed. “You have a shitty day and need to relax? Two magical hands just waiting to be used- massage and otherwise.” He couldn’t help but smirk. “You won’t be lonely, and think about how much better you’ll sleep. Admit it, I’m a good pillow. And you’ll have the added motivation to push through even when it gets tough,” Mike pressed his mouth against her ear, his timbre dropping,  “Because you know daddy will reward you for working so hard.”

 **Ginny**     "Am I?" Ginny asked, tartly, already rolling her eyes. She snorted and huffed at all his helpful 'perks', even though they sounded exactly like distractions to her. At his last 'perk', her hips jerked up against him against her will and she squeezed his hand where it was still tangled with hers. Considering the fact she had actual daddy issues, the idea of Mike as Daddy should not have affected her like that and there was an itch of true irritation at the way he could affect her. "Mike," she whined, squirming under him as if she were trying to escape him. Considering their failed attempt at intercourse earlier (although failure was, of course, subjective in this case), she wasn't anywhere ready to go exploring that thought, but that didn't mean she wasn't a tiny bit turned on. "You're just proving my point, I hope you know!"

 **Mike**       The effect he had on her was still startling to him; however Mike was now past the initial shock and now reveling in the thrill of holding such a power. He loved knowing he could make her squirm and moan and wind up completely drenched from something as simple as his words. Made him feel special. “It’s not like you wouldn’t be at Petco. I’m there all the time, aren’t I?” he pointed out, making his first point holding actual significance since the start of the conversation. “You’d just be in a better mood. So would I.” Mike licked his way along her neck, biting at a patch of skin at the base with a grin. “Switch places with me,” he requested after a moment. “I know you need a break, but I can’t make out with you from this angle.” And then, simply because he saw how it made her react before, he added gravelly, “Sit on daddy’s lap.”

 **Mike**       Mike might have a point or two but he still wasn't moving Ginny any more to his favor. "Then we could just see each other there," she pointed out. "And I'll have the added bonus of actually being able to walk properly and maybe be able to get some sleep when I don't have to worry about you pawing me all the time." It wasn't that Ginny had any real issue with moving in with Mike. Yeah, it would be incredibly fast, but it wasn't that she had an issue with it at all. She really did like being so close to Petco and the Omni was about as close as one could actually live without the four walls being made of cardboard. The feeling of his mouth felt nice but she wrinkled her nose at him when he requested that they switch places, but his next words had her gasping out loud. "Fuck, Mike," she said, sure he could feel her thighs quivering. "Just for that, I'm going to be a naughty girl and say no and no more kisses for you until you learn how to behave." She shoved at his shoulder, trying to push him to the other end of the tub. "You dirty perv." And she was totally going to hell in that handbasket with him.

 **Mike**       Mike shrugged. “If we see each other at work we have to act professional. If you’re here all the time we can be unprofessional whenever we want. Which will be often, since the first rule made after you move in will be no clothing when we’re home alone.” He informed her gravely. “It’s the way God made us, after all.” He laughed out loud at her reaction to his words. She was a goner and they both knew it. “You are being a very naughty girl.” He agreed with a grin. “And you’ll be punished for it, I can promise you that.” Surprising her, Mike actually did move to the other end of the tub, leaning his back against the cool porcelain and opening his arms with a smirk. “Come on Baker, we both know how this is gonna end. Get over here and let me see if I can make you fall apart just by talking to you.”

 **Ginny**     Ginny let out a short bark of laughter at his rule. "Wow, well, you sure are making a good case," she told him, saucily. The no clothes rule was practically in effect already, as Ginny was pretty sure she had been wearing clothes for maybe fifteen minutes since they had been at his place. "Lots to think about when I'm back at the Omni." His grin was both insanely attractive and incredibly infuriating. Ginny ducked a little lower under the water so he couldn't see how hard her nipples were. She crossed her arms over her chest and shook her head. "Nope," she said, though she was pretty intrigued by what kind of punishment he had in mind. Not that her body could handle whatever it was right now. She splashed at him. "Stop ruining my bathtime or I'm going to have to start showering alone too."

 **Mike**       Mike stared at her for a minute, his eyes trailing over her body intently before focusing on her face. “You know what I think?” he asked finally. “I think you know you want to stay with me.” He decided. “Because even though this whole thing is crazy, you’re happy here and you already feel at home. And,” Mike held up a single finger to emphasize his point. “Whether you admit it or not, you actually kind of dig me.” 

He watched her movements closely, like a wild animal stalking its prey. “You sure you don’t want to come over here?” he questioned playfully. “I think that might be a lie, Miss Baker. And we both know lying is an incredibly bad thing to do. A punishable offense, for sure. Good behavior though, that gets rewarded.” Mike continued, almost off-hand. “And I do have a lot of really nice rewards on hand.”

 **Ginny**     "You can think whatever you want," she taunted, narrowing her eyes at him. He wasn't wrong. She was happy and she did feel at home. He was here and she did really enjoy that aspect of his place. "You do realize this constitutes begging, right?" She stuck her tongue out at him.

The way he watched her made her skin prickle and she knew she was incredibly transparent to him right now. "Think what you want," she said again with a little less heat. She skated her fingers along her own thigh but steadfastly refused to touch herself anywhere else. Her own gaze was watching him just as carefully, eyes dark and bright with interest. What gave her away the most, though, was the way she followed up his statement about rewards with an eager, "Like what?"

 **Mike**   Mike grinned. “You do realize you’re not disagreeing, right?” he shot back. He had her and they both knew it. It was just a matter of swallowing her pride and actually admitting it. “Come on Gin, just say it out loud. It’ll feel good. You can bring your poster and everything. I’ll even give up one of the extra bedrooms for all your leggings.”

“Oh, I’m thinking about a lot of things.” He promised evenly. Mike fell quiet for a minute, glancing up and stroking his beard as if heavily in thought. “So many things.” He finally answered. “Things that could probably make a person moan so loud people on neighboring properties call because they’re concerned. And that ruin sheets because of just how wet they get. I mean, forget walking, some of these can make a person forget what planet they’re on.” He chuckled casually before coming to an abrupt halt. “Ah, doesn’t matter though. You’re not interested.” Letting out a sigh Mike strummed his fingers against the side of the tub absentmindedly before switching topics. “I’m getting hungry. Are you hungry?”

 **Ginny**     Ginny let out a loud, fake laugh as he quipped about her poster and her leggings. "Oh ho, I am going to miss those zingers when I'm chilling at the Omni without you," she said, pointedly. "Maybe I should talk to them about some kind of sponsorship, since I am planning on staying there for the foreseeable future." He might have forgotten he was planning with fire and one of this days his carelessness was going to get him burned.

Despite how frustrating he was, despite how much he could test her admittedly not extensive amount of patience, Ginny found herself squeezing her thighs together at his promises. It wasn't as if she had a ball game to play tomorrow, so she didn't need to walk. Of course, Mike was a total asshole and her eyes went wide as he veered off in another direction and she jerked her hand away from where it had been dancing up the inside of her thigh. She splashed at him again, a big splash that sent puddles careening over the side of the tub. "You are not a good boyfriend," she said with a whine, huffing and turning onto her stomach so she could have her back facing him.

 **Mike**       Again, Mike couldn’t help but laugh out loud at her frustration. He was an ass, he knew that, and it was a lot of fun sometimes. “You love me,” he said knowingly, giving her another grin before grabbing the edges of the tub for leverage and pushing himself onto his feet with a small groan. As much fun as he was having, the gimmick was growing old and Mike was only so patient of a person. “Okay, I’ve got a solution.” He announced after a moment, carefully stepping out of the tub. Grabbing one of the two towels near by and wrapping it around his waist, he turned back in Ginny’s direction and continued. “You admit that you’re not going anywhere, because you want to stick around. And then,” looking at her pointedly, his voice dropped a few decibels. “I will do whatever you want for being such a good girl.”

 **Ginny** Mike might think that he had her right where he wanted her, but he was about to be in for a surprise. She pointedly didn't look at him as he lugged himself out of the tub, keeping her back to him as much as possible and pointedly focusing on the bottom of the tub in front of her. Once he had vacated the tub, she kicked her legs up so her feet stuck out of the water. When he was done offering his solution, she hummed loudly in thought before falling silent for a moment. Finally, she turned her head over her shoulder to look at him, her lower lip jutting out. "I'll take a hard pass," she replied. "And you can get out of here, before you see how much of a bad girl I can actually be." With that she threw a soaking wet loofah at him, beaming proudly when it hit him right in the chest.

 **Mike** For a few brief seconds, Mike actually had himself believing he had the upper hand in this whole debacle. He knew he was getting to her, but it was clear he got a bit too comfortable and cocky. She was a piece of work, his girl. Ginny Baker had played with fire her whole life, so it only made sense that applied to sex as well. There was also the added fact that he was completely and totally at her mercy. After he managed to get over his shock at her response and gained back his ability to function, Mike let out a long sigh. “All I wanted was to win one time. Just once.” He muttered before looking up to her face. “What exactly do I need to do to get out of this Baker?” he questioned, almost tired at the mere idea of what she might come up with. “I only request you don’t actually make me get down on my knees, given that I am, in fact, a hundred years old.”

 **Ginny** Ginny peeked over the side of the tub at him, holding onto the edge with her good arm. "Pretty sure you already won three times today, Lawson," she retorted, her eyes bright with amusement. She hooked her arm over the side so she could pull herself up a little more, exposing her breasts to the air and Mike's gaze. "Jeez, give a girl a complex." She leaned forward a little so her chest was squished over her arm. "Like I would ever put your knees at risk. I need those things just as much as you do." She rocked back and forth a few times, head tilted to the side as she thought over his question. "How about you just enjoy the time I so graciously give you with me as a house guest and we'll call it even?"

 **Mike**       For a few moments Mike lost the ability to respond, his eyes shamelessly locked on her boobs. If this was her idea of punishment, she was truly an evil hearted person. Eventually focusing back on her face as she spoke, his eyes squinted into slivers when she laid out her offer. “You’ll let me touch you again?” he checked. The thought of being forced to wait and see how things went concerning her sticking around was not at all appealing to him, but he could do it if necessary. Her earlier statement about not kissing him though, was a deal breaker. 

 **Ginny**     Ginny snorted at his question, rolling her eyes. "You mean will I use you for your body again? Yes. Yes, I will," she retorted. "And I might even let you get a happy ending too." She leaned back to press off the jets of the tub and then pulled the plug to allow it to drain. "Will you hand me a towel?"

 **Mike**       Again, Mike let out a loud, dramatic sigh. “I guess I can live with that for now.” He agreed. He would definitely be putting on all the bells and whistles to make her realize how incredible it would be if she stuck around. But subtly, of course. Didn’t want her picking up on the fact that he was wooing the hell out of her. Grabbing another towel from where he’d stacked them by the sink, he came to a stop right by the tub, holding the piece of material back just out of her reach. “Kiss first,” he requested, taking absolutely no shame in his childishness.

 **Ginny**     Ginny stood up, wringing the water out of her hair, eyeing him with a suspicious eye. She knew Mike better than to think he was giving up on anything this easily. She reached out for the towel but he didn't hand it over right away. "Really, Mike?" she asked with incredulity. With a heavily annoyed sigh, she puckered her lips and leaned forward. "It's kind of sad to have to force your girlfriend to kiss you, you know that, right?"

 **Mike**   Mike shrugged. “My girlfriend’s mean to me. I have to do whatever it takes.” He said simply. He lifted his free hand to cup her cheek, smiling against her lips as they met for a tender kiss. “You love me.” He said easily, brushing off her notion without a second thought.

 **Ginny**     "The likelihood of that happening is getting smaller and smaller," she retorted, snatching the towel from him before he tried to get something else for it. She rubbed it through her hair before wrapping it around her body and carefully stepping out of the tub. "Now, go make me something to eat."


	8. I Don't Know If I Should Stay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which it is the morning after and things aren't as clear.
> 
>  _I ran to you like water  
>  I threw my body in  
> And I'll stand up on the ocean  
> Just to show you that I am strong, strong  
> But what if I am wrong_  
> -I Don't Know If I Should Stay, Alexz Johnson

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Mild panic attack.
> 
> Spoilers: General season 1 spoilers, 1x10 specifically.

**Mike**       Things didn’t last much longer after the bath. Mike heated up a frozen pizza and they ate on the couch before deciding to call it a night. Sleep came quick, after the craziness of the past few days and all the physical exertion (Mike was rather proud of the last one). It felt comfortable, sharing a bed with Ginny. Snuggled up with her in his arms, his nose buried in her hair and the sound of her soft snores lulling him to sleep. He was definitely a fan of bunking with his rookie, no question.

When morning came, Mike managed to wake fifteen minutes before the alarm. Giving up on the notion of getting any more rest, he shut off the alarm and carefully untangled himself from the girl in his arms, dropping a kiss to her temple along the way. After a quick shower, he headed down to the kitchen and flipped on the television to the weather channel and starting the coffee maker before beginning to make breakfast. Scrambling several eggs and tossing them into a pan, Mike set to work chopping vegetables while mentally going over what he had to do for the day.

 **Ginny**     On a normal day, Ginny Baker was up before the sun was. Work hard, after all. There would be her exercise routine, going over any issues with Amelia, going over hitters for the game (even when she wasn't pitching) and a host of other tasks that meant Ginny got a very early start to her day. The stress of the past few days and the exertion of putting up with Mike all day yesterday seemed to have put a kink in that schedule and she found herself blinking slowly awake in an unfamiliar bed. At first, the Padres were playing an away game and it was just another hotel she was waking up in but when she rolled over onto her injured arm and then promptly fell out of bed, she suddenly remembered everything that had happened over the past few days...and whose bed she was in.

Unlike a normal day, Ginny let herself stay in bed (or rather the floor) as she let the past few days sink back in. God, what was she even doing here? Eventually, Ginny gingerly picked herself up off the floor, wincing a little as the soreness between her thighs decided to make itself known. She was a mess and boy did she feel it. After stumbling into the bathroom and washing her face, Ginny pulled on some leggings and a sweat, even if Mike's house was perfectly warm. For some reason, she felt the need to cover up. She wasn't regretting what happened but her stomach still felt as if it were in knots and nothing seemed to be helping. Slowly she made her way downstairs and found Mike in the kitchen, where he looked comfortable and at ease. Ginny lingered in the doorway, watching for a few minutes before she finally croaked out, "morning" looking unsure and weary.

 **Mike**       Mike knew Ginny was bound to wake up disoriented, in pain, and probably completely overwhelmed with everything happening in her life, which was why he was determined to make things as easy as possible for her. After adding the vegetables and some cheese to the eggs, he loaded bread into the toaster and set two places at the island. He’d just finished mashing an avocado for the toast when Ginny appeared, looking indeed a bit worse for wear, but still beautiful as hell. 

“Morning.” Mike knew he had to tread lightly in order not to freak her out too much, but he wanted to let her know, at least on his end, everything was under control. “Coffee should be up soon. Eggs are almost done.” He reported. Giving her a timid smile, he hesitantly opened his arms a bit, extending an invitation for physical comfort if she wanted it.

 **Ginny** Food was definitely a way to get into Ginny's good graces, but it wasn't the food that she came looking for. Of course, Ginny hadn't exactly realized what she was looking forward until Mike turned toward her and opened his arms. She could see that Mike was also feeling a little uncertain, but even so he turned to offer her what comfort he could. It didn't erase all the other shit that was happening in her life but it made her certain that what had happened between them was good. Ginny didn't hesitate a moment longer but moved into his open arms, wrapping her one good arm around him and pressing her lips to his in a long consuming kiss. It was kind of necessary for her to put her mouth to some use because she feared left to its own devices it might say something she wasn't sure she was ready for. Instead, she pressed into him until she had to draw back to breath. "Just so you know, leaving a girl alone in your bed first time after spending the night, bad form, Lawson." She pulled her body away from his but caught his hand and squeezed, before looking around the kitchen. "I don't see any bacon."

 **Mike**       It occurred briefly to Mike that he could happily wake up to Ginny Baker for the rest of his life. Seeing her first thing in the morning, disheveled but completely flawless, and holding her in his arms as they fell asleep. It was definitely something he could see making him happy for the long haul. In the present moment, he happily welcomed her into his arms and returned her kiss, tangling his tongue deep in her mouth and smiling gently. “I figured my girl would rather have breakfast ready when she woke up than me next to her.” He replied, stealing one last peck before letting her go. “Bacon is coming.” He had, indeed, put a tray of the stuff into the oven during his prep. Gesturing for her to grab the coffee pot, he pulled the tray from the oven and set to work piling the two plates with eggs, bacon, and his infamous avocado toast before taking a seat next to her at the counter. “Just so you know,” Mike said after a few moments of chewing, “I like that you’re here.”

 **Ginny** Ginny made a thoughtful noise. "I don't know," she said, slowly. "What if I feel like breakfast in bed?" He grinned and winked saucily. She made a joke but she definitely would have rather wake up to him next to her, but she knew he probably had his own schedule for game days. She wanted to mess with that as little as possible. She patted his cheek when he admitted there was bacon. "Good boy." She grabbed two mugs and set about making two cups of coffee, one just the way Mike liked. She set his cup in front of him and sat down for her own plate of food, hovering over it with a deep breath and a moan. At his words, she turned to look at him, cheeks puffed out from food she had shoveled in her mouth. "Me too. I wouldn't want to miss this." She shoved another fork of food in her mouth. She knocked her knee against his. "Wanna go over hitters?"

 **Mike**       Mike shoveled a bite of eggs into his mouth and chewed before replying. “I could probably swing that, if you ask nicely.” He said with a smirk. Breakfast in bed was something he was more than willing to do, or order in or whatever she wanted. Truth be told, he really didn’t care so long as she was with him. It was probably pathetic, but still true. He took a drink from the mug and smiled a bit. No sugar, a little bit of milk. He liked that she got it right and didn’t have to ask. “I’ve got all kinds of tricks up my sleeve, babe. Just wait and see.” He promised. Reaching over to noisily kiss her cheek, he shook his head a few times. “Not today, Rook. Today you don’t worry about baseball. Focus on you.”

 **Ginny** Ginny raised a brow at him. "What if I didn't even ask? What if I just started without you?" she asked, plucking up a piece of avocado and sucking it off her thumb, tongue swirling around the digit as she looked at him with lowered lashes. Ginny knew she still needed at least a day of rest before the soreness might let her enjoy things between them again but this was definitely a plan she intended to enact at some point. She was a little disappointed that he didn't want to go over hitters, but it had been more for her than him anyway. She sighed. "I wish I could go to the game. I know why Oscar doesn't want me there, but-" She pouted anyway. She knew it had nothing to do with Oscar not wanting her there, but he had asked her not to come all the same since they expected thing to be pretty crazy since it was the first game since her injury. She wanted to be there for the guys, though. Instead she had to stay back and it made her feel like an outsider.

 **Mike** Mike chuckled. “You really are trying to kill me, aren’t you?” Pulling her hand away from her mouth, he replaced it with his lips, biting gently at her bottom lip. Waking up and having her first thing in the morning was quite possibly the best offer he’d ever received; an offer he would now be trying not to think about the rest of the day while at work. “You let me know when you’re ready and I’m all yours.” He promised against her mouth. Finally pulling back, he draped an arm around her shoulders (he couldn’t stop touching her, he realized) and popped a piece of bacon in his mouth with his free hand. “You will definitely be missed.” Mike assured her. The clubhouse was going to be weird as hell without her there, no question. “But you have to get better before you help us get a ring. So take care of yourself and then we can work on the rest.” Finishing off the piece of bacon, he offered her his hand. “You trust me?”

 **Ginny** Ginny just smiled sweetly. "Who? Me?" she asked against his mouth with a giggle. Ginny liked sex, and she had never been shy about that, but she was pretty sure she had never been as horny as she had been the past few days with Mike. She couldn't wait to have him again and she cursed her body for not handling him well enough and him for being too fucking big. "Don't worry. You will know." It was a dark promise to them both. Ginny bit back her pouts because it wouldn't help. It was hard, considering how she was just on the beginning of this journey that might mean the end of her career. "Yeah," she grumbled. She took his hand hesitantly, raising a brow at him. "Depends, where is this going?"

 **Mike**       “Mhmm. You, you trouble maker.” He confirmed. He couldn’t remember a time he’d been this happy and it was all thanks to her. “My evil, evil girl. I can only imagine the amount of torture you’ll try to distract me with today. I’ll have to keep my phone hidden.” It wouldn’t surprise him if his inbox filled up with messages of her trying to mess with him. Granted, he’d love it, but it would still drive him nuts. Mike couldn’t wipe the smile from his face- she was too damn cute when she pouted. “It’s just me saying that I have your back, Gin. Because I do.” He linked the fingers of their hands together as if to solidify the promise. “Now what’s the plan for today? Give me the rundown.”

 **Ginny** "If you're going to monopolize my one good hand," Ginny said, wiggling the finger of her injured arm, which was back inside the brace and attached to her torso again. She was definitely still paying for all the movement and use of it yesterday. "You're going to have to feed me that bacon right there." She pointed to the bacon still on his plate, her own bacon having been demolished from her own plate first. She sighed as she thought about what she had planned for the day. "You mean besides moping?" It was meant as a joke but there would most definitely be some moping, probably the closer it got to game time. "I thought I might go for a walk." Which was more Ginny speak for a run she probably knew she shouldn't take. "Probably catch some pre-game just in case I have to fall back on this pretty face and take up some kind of broadcasting." Although she'd sooner fall off the face of the planet than become some sports channels token woman. "Then the game." And he should be sure to know there would definitely still be some game breakdown when he got back, even if they were only breaking down his game this time. "And...well, I thought I might try and get in touch with Amelia."

 **Mike**   “I’d like to monopolize more than just your hands,” he murmured. Not that he actually expected anything to happen, but he did have time for a little hanky panky if they made it quick. The fact that she was actually asking him to feed her instead of pulling away did not escape him, which was why he didn’t bring it up, instead doing as she asked. Now he was feeding her breakfast. In this tiny, protected bubble of the world, hidden away from everyone where it was just the two of them, life truly was bliss. “You should make use of the giant tub and soak for a while.” Mike suggested. He knew he couldn’t talk her out of doing anything she didn’t want to do, but he could offer up distractions. “You can also figure out what you want for dinner, and what we can do when I get home.” When Amelia’s name came up, he did a mental fist pump. He was hoping she would say that. “I think she’ll be happy to hear from you.” Was his simply reply.

 **Ginny** Ginny raised a brow at him. "That barely even made sense, old man," she retorted. Ginny easily accepted the bacon from his fingertips, cheering at how she got him to hand over his bacon with any remarks. As a reward, she made sure her tongue flicked against the pads of his fingers every now and then. "Pretty sure I can no longer relax in that tub after someone ruined it for me yesterday." She looked at him pointedly, in case he didn't get who she meant. "I didn't realize you were going to give me a to do list. Are you sure you don't want me to have dinner waiting for you when you get home from work, honey?" She shrugged at the last part, not entirely convinced that things between her and Amelia were going to be as easily put on track as maybe he thought they would be.

 **Mike**       “Yeah, well, you kinda make it difficult to think around you, Baker.” He said with a shrug, happily allowing her to nibble at his fingers. He was throwing all utensils out today, it was decided. Mike’s face scrunched a bit at her pointed look. “I’ll make it up to you. Promise.” He held back a sigh when she tried to pick a fight. He knew she was anxious and upset, but he wasn’t taking the bait. “I’m saying you can pick what you want me to make, and then decide whatever you want us to do after. I’m trying to be nice, Gin.” Dropping his voice to nearly a whisper, he squeezed her hand. “I know it’s hard. And if you want to rant or talk or just make sure I’m here, call me.” Mike said gently. “Okay? I’ll make sure no one knows what’s going on, just call me. Alright?”

 **Ginny** It hadn't been her intention to try and start something with him. It was difficult for her to be sending him off to his job that was supposed to be hers too. She was supposed to be on that mound, or, at the very least, in the dug out. Now she had all but been banned from the park and it really sucked. She sighed and her mouth turned down, feeling bad that Mike was being a god damn angel and she was an ungrateful, bratty little shit. She leaned into him, pressing her face into his neck. Part of it was to reach out to him but a small part of it was to hide the way her bottom lip trembled a little. "M'sorry," she said, genuinely. "I'll be fine." She pulled back from him and stood up, collecting their plates. "I'll clean up. You probably need to get going soon, hm?"

 **Mike**       Mike hugged her against his chest, dropping a kiss to the back of her head. “S’okay.” He assured her. He knew how hard this all was. He’d had his fair share of injuries before and hell, he was grumpy all the time for no good reason. “Leave the mess. Housekeeper comes today.” Rising from his own seat, he moved across the room to grab a key from the hook by the door. Holding it up pointedly, he held it out for her to take. “Not a big deal, I just don’t want you arrested for trying to break in to my house.” He explained. “Works to the front and back doors. Key code for the front gate is 80136.” Then, moving right along, he stepped forward and looked at her quizzically. “Are you aware,” he began seriously, “of how goddamn much I’m going to miss your face today?”

 **Ginny** Ginny stared at the key he offered, feeling a bit of panic rise up in her chest. No big deal, he said. Blip and Evelyn didn't even give her a key to their place and she was practically their third child and here he was giving her a key to his glass mansion. Ginny forced herself to take it, nodding dumbly. She was pretty well aware that she was halfway on her way to a panic attack or something worse. "You're just saying that because I'm the second prettiest team mate you've ever had," she heard herself saying.

 **Mike**       Mike had a feeling something along these lines would happen. It was a lot for Ginny to take under normal circumstances, let alone with the stress of her injury and career on her shoulders. “Hey, look at me.” He instructed, lifting her chin and forcing her gaze to lock with his own. He took a few deep breaths, waiting until she began to do the same. Raising her hand with the key in it, he shrugged. “Just a piece of metal so you don’t have to stay in the yard.” Mike assured her. “Literally, nothing else. And as for Leo…” he scrunched up his face as if in deep thought. “You’re well on your way to bumping him.” He gave a small smile. “Don’t over think this. Just breathe and try to get used to the fact that you’re not on your own anymore.”

 **Ginny** It took a minute for Ginny to get her gaze to focus on Mike and it wasn't until she heard him taking deep breaths that she realized she wasn't breathing normal. She mirrored her breathing after his, eyelashes fluttering wildly against her cheeks as she tried to calm herself down. On the one hand, she tried to give herself a break for being overwhelmed, considering the past three days. On the other hand, she was doing a spectacular job of beating herself up for not having her shit together right now. "Okay," she said. "Okay. I'm good. I'm okay." She stepped back from him. "You should go before you're late. Bad example for a captain to be late." She patted his shoulder absently.

 **Mike**       Mike decided not to voice the thought that it was also probably a bad example for a captain to be playing house with his rookie. Instead he followed her steps and pulled her in for a searing kiss. “I love you, Ginny.” He said clearly as he pulled away. “Don’t forget that, okay?” He hated leaving her like this, alone and vulnerable and freaking the hell out, but he also knew that she had to deal with most of this on her own. He could only take care of her so much and the truth was, as much as he would’ve liked to, he couldn’t protect her from everything. “I’ll see you tonight.” Mike told her, making sure it wasn’t a question but a statement as he gathered up his backpack and keys. Making his way to the garage door, he paused to look back at her one last time. “You’ve got this.” He promised. Giving a final nod, he pushed his sunglasses onto his face and stepped out the door.


	9. Thrive or Survive

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Ginny runs.
> 
>  
> 
> _Been fighting things that I can't see_  
>  Like voices coming from the inside of me  
> Like doing things I find hard to believe in  
> Am I myself or am I dreaming?
> 
>  
> 
>  _No, I'm not alright_  
>  I know that I'm not right  
> Feel like I travel but I never arrive  
> I wanna thrive, not just survive  
> -Thrive, Switchfoot

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Panic attack
> 
> Spoilers: Season 1 of Pitch, especially 1x10
> 
> Follow us on tumblr  
> trenchcoatstories  
> And please leave comments! We'd love to hear feedback and what else you would like to see!

**Ginny** Ginny waited until the sounds of Mike’s sports car disappeared before she took another breath, ragged and heaving. “Fuck.” She wrapped her good arm around her stomach as she doubled over. “Fuck.” Ginny eased herself to the floor, dragging her hand over her face to try and stem the tears as she began to sob. It tore her apart to be left behind as Mike went off to play a game that she should have been at. She had never missed a game for a team she was playing for and the Padres were _her_ team.

“Little girl.” Ginny ripped her hand away from her face to look at her father. He stood in front of her, looking down at her with disapproval. “What’re you doing, little girl?”

“Pop?” she whimpered. Ginny knew he wasn’t actually there in front of her. She was having a panic attack, maybe a little breakdown, but she wasn’t losing her mind. 

“You’re a ballplayer. What’re you doing here?” Bill Baker asked. Ginny turned her head to follow the sweep of her father’s arms as they gestured to Mike’s glass house.

“I’m a ballplayer,” she repeated, her voice still shaking. She didn’t belong here, left behind in Mike Lawson’s house like some girl waiting for the husband to bring home the bacon. She was supposed to be the ballplayer, not dating one. Ginny stumbled as she struggled to pick herself up from the floor. “I’m a ballplayer.” Ginny grabbed her duffle bag from the floor of the kitchen where it had been sitting since yesterday and swung it over her shoulder, before darting out the front door. She didn’t belong here.

___

It was more difficult getting into the Omni than she had anticipated. There was a surprising amount of press that seemed to be just waiting for her. When her Uber pulled up outside the hotel, they swarmed the car so badly, Ginny had a difficult time even getting out. It wasn’t until some security from the hotel came that she was able to get safely into the hotel.

It did nothing to help her nerves, though, and she stayed pressed against the door to hotel room for a long time, staring into nothingness. 

Ginny turned to look around the hotel room. “I’m alone, Pop,” she said to the empty room. Nothing but silence. “Is that what you wanted?!” Ginny turned and caught site of herself in the mirror. Her eyes were wild and her mouth parted as she panted. The way her sweater hung made her look like she only had one arm, her injured arm hidden beneath the fabric of her sweatshirt. She might have well have lost it, considering what good it did her now. “I’m losing it all.”

Ginny fell back against the couch, but her father still didn’t make an appearance. She sighed and pulled her knees to her chest. Was this what he wanted? Did he want her to have nothing? No one? Ginny buried her face and heaved out a sigh. Did he expect her to do this alone?

“No!” He had never expected that of her. It had always been their plan for him to be there for her, and then it was Will. And then…”Amelia.” Ginny reached for her phone.

“Ginny.” The way Amelia said her name was like ragged relief. 

___

 

Amelia agreeing to come back to San Diego and talk was a good thing. A really good thing. It wasn’t enough, though, or rather, it wasn’t the right person. This wasn’t about being alone. This was about being happy. Ginny didn’t think she could be happy without baseball. It had been part of her life for too long. It was a part of her. Her dad had chosen that for her.

But Mike made her happy too. He understood what she was doing, as much as anyone else in her life, as much as anyone could. Ginny wanted to pick Mike. 

“What’s so wrong with that?” she asked the empty room. Silence again. Ginny huffed. “Fuck this.” With an irritated toss of her hair, she grabbed her duffle and headed towards the door. “Fuck _you_.”

“He’s a distraction,” her father said and Ginny spun around to face him.

“News flash, Pop, I’m not playing baseball. I have nothing to be distracted from,” she snapped. “And you know what? Mike’s good for my game. He believes in me, which is more than I can say for you sometimes.” Her breathing was heavy again but this time it was from anger. She wrenched a hand through her hair, body slumping. Mike was too damn good for her and he didn’t deserve this. He didn’t deserve her walking out on him. “I’m going back. I’m going back to him.”

Ginny didn’t look back at her father when she walked out of her hotel room.

__

It had been a few hours since she had arrived at the Omni, but the crowd was still nuts. Ginny was more careful as she snuck out and managed to avoid them, before catching an Uber back to Mike’s. Mike wasn’t back yet when she arrived and it was only then that she realized she had left the key he gave her inside. The only thing she could do was drop herself onto the steps of the front porch, hunker down and wait, duffle bag at her feet a big warning sign that something had happened. 

 **Mike** It had been a long day. A weird one, too. It had been far more difficult without Ginny around than Mike anticipated, and he’d anticipated it being pretty damn bizarre. There was a lull in the clubhouse, a missing piece, and it was evident to everyone. It was no surprise their game was thrown off, so the fact that they had actually managed to pull out a win was nothing short of a small miracle. Blip barely said two words to him, which again was not surprising. Mike had a feeling it would take a while for him to come around, and when he did it would be to Ginny first. He was willing to be patient though. The game had gone… well, truthfully it wasn’t good at all and the fact that they didn’t get their asses handed over was a shock. Mike was completely out of it, which luckily everyone contributed to the simple fact that his rookie was out instead of thinking anything more, when in reality it was a mix of both. Yeah, it had been a long ass day, and the fact that he hadn’t heard from Ginny at all, while not entirely surprising, didn’t help.

Mike honestly wasn’t sure what to expect when he pulled into his driveway. If he was honest, a large part of him expected Ginny to be gone and not contact him for quite a while. She was a runner, that wasn’t a secret and she’d been through a lot, so it was quite a surprise to find her sitting on the front porch. She looked like she’d been through hell and back, and her duffle bag was at her feet. While he knew he’d have to ask eventually, Mike didn’t have the desire or the energy to question her first thing. He was tired and glad she was there. They could get to the rest later. Instead, he slung his own bag over his shoulder and exited the car, coming to a stop before where she rested. “Lose the key?” he questioned, forgoing the typical greeting. While waiting for an answer, he picked up her duffle bag and took the two steps up the porch, unlocking the door and walking inside.

 **Ginny**     Mike looked tired when Ginny finally looked up at him. Oh, she definitely spent a good amount of time, staring at her feet, then his feet, then a little lady bug making its way up the stairs. But she did finally look up at him and he looked tired. Ginny knew that the Padres had won but it hadn't been a pretty game; she had figured that out on the drive back to his place. A lot of the fatigue on his features probably had to do with that but Ginny couldn't help but feel as if some of it was her fault. She felt guilty for leaving, she felt guilty for being such a train wreck, and she felt guilty for standing up and following him into his house. He didn't deserve this shit, her shit, and she wondered if it wouldn't have been better for him, if she had just never come back.

What she had said to her father still stood, though. She wanted to be with him. Even as tired as he looked, she wanted to go to him and kiss him until she forgot everything else, until he forgot all the baggage she brought. She wasn't sure if that was entirely fair to him either. There was at least one thing she could do and Ginny picked up his phone to order delivery. "Ribs or chicken?" she asked him, looking at his face but not quite meeting his eyes.

 **Mike**       The past few days had been insane, and Mike had been going pretty much nonstop since Ginny went down on the field. Today had been his first real significant amount of time away from her since he went to the hospital, and a lot of things had hit him at once. The weight of what they were doing, the seriousness of what she was going through, the likelihood of her changing her mind and walking out, it was a shit ton to deal with, and on top of it all, he was trying to be the captain of a team that still held some animosity about the almost trade while they played a goddamn game with a major piece of the roster missing. Plus, the physicality of the past few days was finally catching up and he was beat: emotionally, physically, and mentally. He adored the girl, he truly did, but the stress of the past few days and trying to be her rock was a lot. So yeah, he was a little spent.

He wasn’t entirely sure how to go about any of this with Ginny. Part of him wanted to question her until he was blue in the face, the other part didn’t want to risk getting answers he didn’t want to hear. Fear was a large part of everything.  A large part of him wanted nothing more than to kiss the hell out of her and ramble on about how much he missed her, but again, the possibility that she might brush him off was concerning. Mike wasn’t sure what had went on today, but he could tell it was a lot and, whatever it was, had been significant. Dropping the bags by the stairs he gave a noncommittal shrug at her question. “You pick.” He answered, willing to eat anything at the moment. Making his way to the kitchen he grabbed two beers from the fridge, popped off the lids, and set one on the counter nearest to Ginny before heading into the living room and dropping onto the sofa with a small groan.

 **Ginny** Ginny couldn't help but wonder if everything between them was fucked up, and it took her a moment to swallow through those thoughts before she could make the phone call to the BBQ place. When she was done, she didn't immediately follow him to the living room, but instead made a detour to his duffle bag first, picking out a few items. She sat down on the couch next to him and draped a towel over her lap, popping the bottle of therapeutic massage oil onto the coffee table. Carefully she helped Mike drape his legs over her lap, adjusting until they were in the proper position. She wasn't an expert by any means but she knew enough about this that she could give his knees a massage without either of them needing to worry about her fucking something up worse than they already were. Ginny waited until her hands and his knees were slick with the oil before she spoke, rubbing her hands over his knees with a gentle, testing pressure. "How was today?"

 **Mike**       If this was the trajectory for the rest of the night, or worse, life from now on, Mike was dreading it. He hated how stiff and awkward things were right now, but he wasn’t sure what to do. He was tired and confused and completely unsure of how to act, and, to be frank, he wanted Ginny to give him a damn sign of what she wanted. He knew she had to at least somewhat want to be there, she wouldn’t have come back from wherever she went if she didn’t, but was it out of necessity or true desire to be with him? He didn’t need flowers and a proposal, but he needed something.

As it turns out, he got exactly what he was looking for when she sat down next to him and started rubbing his legs. Physical contact she initiated- that was all he needed. Answering her question about his day with a simple, “Not great,” he scooted forward a bit and took her face in his hands, pressing a long kiss to her lips. The way such a simple gesture managed to completely lift his mood was staggering, and probably defied science in several ways, but Mike couldn’t have cared less. Instead, he took his time kissing her deep and let out a sigh of almost relief when they finally broke apart. “Missed you.” He said, his words simple but the look in his eyes conveying just how much he meant them.

 **Ginny** Ginny made a sound that was partly acknowledgment of his assessment of 'not great' and partly an agreement of what the day had been like. She sighed into his mouth when he kissed her, leaning into the kiss. "Well, you got the 'W'." She felt something like relief and comfort, and she wasn't exactly sure if it was what she was putting out or what she was getting back from him. The sigh he let out made her aware that it might just be a little bit of both, and she wanted to reach out and cup his face with her hands but they were covered in oil. She gazed at him and smiled, nodding her head, before tilting forward so her forehead rest against his cheek. "Missed you too," she told him, sincerely. Ginny pulled back enough so her gaze could fall back to his legs, as she smoothed her hand up his thigh and down to his calves. "I went to the Omni today." Her shoulders ducked up to her ears for a moment, giving away something that made her uncomfortable was coming. "I think I had a little...freak out today."

 **Mike** A few groans escaped his lips as she moved her hands against his skin and for once it wasn’t because he was turned on. His knees felt like shit, his calves were decidedly done with the day, and most of his body ached. Ginny wasn’t a pro masseuse by any means, but it still felt damn good on his muscles. “Barely,” he muttered, in regards to the game. If Blip hadn’t managed his last homer, they probably would have lost. When he’d said so to the man in question, he’d received only a small shrug in response. As much as it sucked Ginny wasn’t there, they needed to get their heads on straight and deal with it because Mike wasn’t going out of the season without a fight. Her response to his kiss was like a breath of air, and when she returned his sentiment Mike couldn’t keep the small smile from appearing on his face. She missed him too. That was kind of awesome. Pressing another kiss to her lips before she pulled away, Mike stiffened slightly when she mentioned her own day’s events. “You wanna talk about it?” He wasn’t entirely sure how to respond, so he figured letting her take the lead was the best option.

 **Ginny**     Part of Ginny didn't want to talk about it. She wanted to ignore it, burrow against him and just pretend the day hadn't happened. She didn't think it was fair to him, considering he now knew (if he hadn't already) something had happened, to not give him any insight into what her freak out involved, especially since it had a lot to do with him. Despite her oily fingers, Ginny found his hand with hers and tangled their fingers together. She wanted him to know she was here now and that she intended to stay. "It was really hard, watching you leave this morning, going to the Park without me," she said. "It's really hard to watch you go play baseball when...when I might not be able to anymore. This has been my dream, my goal, for so long, and I'm-" She dropped her chin to her shoulder, squeezing her eyes shut. "I'm afraid it's all gone now. I know there's still a chance, but it's really hard to hold onto that right now."

 **Mike**       It was a rare thing for Ginny Baker to talk about her feelings. She was an introvert, most likely because she’d been forced to conform everything about her in order to get to where she wanted. With everything that had happened in her life, Mike completely understood why it was so hard for her to let people in and allow herself to give any details that might make her appear vulnerable. He wasn’t much different, to be perfectly honest, he just put on more of an asshole façade to cover it up. But he fully knew how difficult it was for Ginny, so the fact that she was comfortable to talk to him meant pretty much everything in his book. He nodded slowly as she spoke, taking in every word and giving her his complete attention, squeezing her hand every so often to assure her of such. He hated that she felt like this, and he hated even more that there wasn’t much he could do about it. The doubt, the dread, the fear, it was all part of the process and there was no way to avoid it. You just had to keep living and wait for it to get better. “I know,” he said quietly, because he did. He completely understood, even if he couldn’t do anything to change it. “I’m sorry you have to deal with this.” Mike murmured. “And I know it doesn’t seem like it and sounds like complete shit, but it does get better. You just gotta get through the hard part first.” Untangling their fingers, Mike moved to the end of the couch and opened his arms. He was more than fine with continuing the conversation, but he wanted her in his lap because dammit, they both needed to cuddle after this shitstorm of a day.

 **Ginny**     Ginny rubbed as much of the oil off her hands onto the towel and gently wiped down his legs before she crawled into his lap. Now that her fingers were more or less oil free, she scratched them through his beard and pulled his mouth into hers. "This part is really, really hard," she said when she pulled back. "I don't want to resent you for having baseball when I can't and I'm...I'm worried about what will happen to us if I can't have it again." She looked down. "Which I know sounds stupid. But all I have right now are all these thoughts and I don't know how to get rid of them, how to stop worrying." Ginny let her fingers trace designs onto his chest, which she followed with her gaze. "Baseball brought us together, but I'm afraid it might tear us apart too."

 **Mike** It felt good having her in his arms. It brought an instant sense of calm over Mike’s body and mind and just relaxed him more. And the kissing always made him feel better. Always. When their lips were together everything else in the world fell away so it was just the two of them existing, together, and nothing else mattered. Once again giving Ginny his full attention, Mike’s heart broke for her as she spoke. She truly was terrified not just about her career, but about him leaving her too, which was almost laughable because it was so far from a possibility. “I think… it’s normal.” Mike said after taking a moment to think of how to respond once she’d finished. “I think everything you’re feeling is normal. And I think it’s necessary to have time to just sit in it and be upset. It’s a series of steps, you know?” he continued. “After a bit of time you’ll get that fire back and you’ll fight and you’ll figure it all out. But there is one thing I know and it’s that with this?” he gestured between them, “I’m not gonna walk.” Mike looked at her then, his tone firm as he spoke with complete sincerity. “You could be done tomorrow and I could retire next week and it wouldn’t change anything. Ginny, when I told you I was in, I meant it. I still do. That's not changing."

 **Ginny** Ginny wasn't the best at processing things. Well, to start with, she wasn't good at feeling things. A childhood of growing up in a sport dominated by men, not to mention the man who raised her, she hadn't been given much time to feel. Feeling was a weakness to her father and to many of the people who were involved in baseball. She had gotten used to that and that meant a lot of burying how she felt, which in turn didn't allow for her to sort through and process those feelings. She had seen just why that was a bad thing by what happened the night of the Nike party, but it was still a lesson she was learning. As difficult as it was for her to allow it, she was glad that Mike was here as she learned it, that he was here to support her. Ginny tilted her head upward a little so she could press a kiss on the underside of his jaw in appreciation. "It kind of sounds like your advice is to mope," she said, half teasing, but maybe that was okay advice. Maybe it was okay for her to just feel what she felt for a little while without trying to push through to the optimism.

The way he could be so secure in their relationship was astounding to her. Not because she doubted how he felt but because she wasn't sure if she gave him enough reasons to feel that way. She wanted to be with him but she wasn't sure if that always came through. Worse was that she just wasn't sure if how she felt about him could overcome everything, such as the game being taken away from her. Curling her palm around his jaw, she turned his face towards hers and rested her forehead against his. "I'm in too, Mike," she told him. She just wasn't as sure that nothing could change that, and she hated that. What she hated even more was that she couldn't offer the same reassurance to him.

 **Mike** It didn’t make sense, really. His infatuation with Ginny Baker. Of course there was the obvious expected attraction- he was the old man in charge and she was the young, attractive, first woman on the team. Of course he had a thing for her. Following the stereotype, everyone on the team should. But what didn’t make sense was the superficial crap not even touching the tip of the iceberg. What didn’t make sense was Mike Lawson completely falling in love with his Rookie. He didn’t plan it. He sure as hell tried to avoid it. But the simple truth was that she came in with her sharp wit, steeled determination, and hidden vulnerability and completely stolen his heart without even trying. What scared him the most though wasn’t her leaving, though that was always a thought stuck in his mind, but his biggest fear was the possibility of him holding her back. If somehow whatever the hell they had together got out and blew up. Mike had a long, good career. It would suck if he went out because of a scandal, but he would move on. Destroying Ginny’s career wasn’t an option, and he was willing to do absolutely anything to prevent it. “If that’s what you need to do, then yeah. I kind of am.” He answered. “I think all you can really do is play it by ear, go with your gut, and let life happen. Just don’t forget you’re not doing it by yourself.”

He stretched back a little so she was lying directly on top of him and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling their bodies as close together as humanly possible. For several minutes all Mike could do was kiss her. There were a lot of uncertainties in both their lives right now, a lot of turmoil, but here, in this moment, they were soft and protected and together, which meant however temporarily, things were okay. “Did you talk to Amelia?” Mike didn’t even bother lifting his lips from hers as he spoke, eyes closed allowing himself to savor the comfort of having her so close. 

 **Ginny**     Ginny smiled softly at Mike as he gave his advice. She supposed it was a perk of having an older boyfriend, having someone with a bit more wisdom and perspective. She stroked her fingers through his hair and pecked his mouth. "Thanks," she said softly. "I'm going to try." And she would, even if she knew it would be hard as hell. When he pulled her on top of him, she tried to shift her weight off of him but his arms held her firm. "Pretty sure this isn't going to do wonders for your back." Of course, that didn't stop her from taking advantage of the position and molding her mouth to his. Mike was really a fantastic kisser and she could kiss him forever. She popped one eye open when he brought up Amelia. "Is that really what you're thinking about right now?" She tilted her head to the side so her mouth slid through his beard and she could chuckle against his cheek. Before she could answer, the doorbell rang. "Alright, hold onto your inappropriately timed thoughts, that's probably the food."

She carefully crawled off his lap and went to dig her wallet out of her bag before heading to the front door and paying the delivery guy. She grabbed two more beers from the fridge before returning with them and the food to the living room, where she deposited the food on the table. The food smelled divine and she was hungry, but she perched herself back in Mike's lap because it felt nice there. "So, I did talk to Amelia today and I told her about us," she said, watching his face for a reaction. "I thought she should know before she came back here to meet me in person. She'll be back on Saturday and we're going to talk through some other stuff before we make any decisions about whether or not we'll work together."

 **Mike** To be honest, Mike didn’t even realize asking her about Amelia while they were so intimate was weird. Being attached to her in that way just felt normal, like sitting across from each other at the dinner table. He could’ve talked about literally any topic and not been bothered. He wasn’t quite sure how to explain that to Ginny though. Luckily, she didn’t actually seem to be upset about it. Before he could even begin to apologize, the doorbell rang, which caused her to leave his embrace and him to let out a few quiet curses.

He would’ve helped her get everything for dinner, but Ginny moved at such a quick pace Mike barely had time to sit up and grasp what was going on before she was back. He smiled a bit when she climbed back onto his lap. It was easily one of his favorite nonsexual (as well as sexual) positions to be in with her. What surprised him though, was the fact that she abandoned the food and instead focused on finishing their conversation. Clearly if she was willing to wait to eat, it was important. His face remained stoic as she spoke, processing her words carefully before responding. It sounded like things hadn’t gone too bad, for which he was grateful. “Okay, that all sounds good. I think talking about everything before you decide anything is smart.” Mike said, giving a small nod. “How’d she react when you told her about us?” he couldn’t help but be curious. If Amelia was pissed like he thought, he didn’t want Ginny to take the brunt of whatever verbal assault was unleashed.

 **Ginny**     Ginny fell silent as she thought back to her conversation with Amelia, thinking about how to sum it up. "To be honest," she started with a somewhat puzzled frown. "She didn't seem particularly...surprised?" She looked over at him, wondering briefly if maybe she had had something to do with Amelia and Mike breaking up after all, even if it wasn't just her disapproval of them that had been the catalyst. "She's definitely not a fan, though. I mean," Ginny chewed on her lower lip. "She doesn't really approve." Amelia had more or less claimed that Ginny was being taken advantage of by Mike, but Ginny had shut that down pretty fast. "But I told her it was non-negotiable, so she must be willing to put up with you if she might come back." She nudged him playfully.

 **Mike**       Mike thought back to the Nike party when Amelia had ended things. ‘Your mind is somewhere else’ she’d said. Mike had assumed she was talking about Rachel. But was it possible she had known that he was falling for Ginny before he did? The thought was baffling to him. Then again, perhaps he hadn’t hidden his feelings as well as he thought. Her disapproval though, came as no surprise. “Was she very hard on you?” he wanted to know. If she yelled at Ginny, he was going to have a problem and had no issue with discussing it face to face with the blonde. Amelia didn’t scare him. Ginny continued seemingly unfazed, though, causing Mike’s eyes to widen a bit at her announcement. “You said that?” he asked in disbelief. “Ginny…” He wasn’t even sure what to say to that. He was shocked that she would defend their relationship so firmly, especially when she was already on shaky ground with Amelia. She had no idea how much it meant to him.

 **Ginny**     Had Amelia been hard on Ginny? Well, yeah. Had she been even worse a critic of Mike? Yeah. Amelia had made an incredibly detailed case on why Mike and Ginny were a bad idea. And Ginny wasn't sure how much of that she wanted to reveal. She was hoping that Mike and Amelia would steer clear of each other. There was still a tiny part of her that was worried about them becoming some kind of allies, of things being shared between them. But she also had to face the reality that, if Amelia came back, they would both play a large part in her life, and she wanted them to get along to some extent. Instead of really answering, she shrugged her shoulders at his question before smiling at his disbelief. "Amelia's not going to interfere like she did before," she said. Her gaze rose beyond Mike's head to the spot where her father had stood earlier that day, asking what she was doing here. "I'm not going to let anyone else interfere with us."

 **Mike** For a minute, all Mike could do was stare. He’d thought- no, he’d known he was crazy for falling for this girl. All it was going to do was make both their lives harder, risk damn near everything, and generally just cause a lot of trouble. But he fell for her anyway and here she was in his lap saying she wasn’t going to let anything break them apart. It felt unreal, honestly, like he was living in an alternate universe. Of the two of them, Ginny was hands down the one with more on the line, and she was willing to put up with all the difficulties just to be with him. “I am so stupidly in love with you, Ginny Baker.” he said quietly, shock still in his tone as he continued to stare at her.

 **Ginny**     Ginny squirmed when he stared at her, laughing uncomfortably. His words made the humor fall off her face. He had said them before, often, but it didn't seem to get old hearing them. She kept her gaze averted from his for a moment before slowly turning her eyes on his. She tilted her chin forward, bumping her jaw against his before sealing their mouths together. Her fingers stroked through his beard as she kissed him, sliding her tongue along his lower lip before slipping it inside his mouth. She couldn't say the words but she hoped she could show him, just a little, how she felt. "Mike," she muttered into his beard. "God, just-" She buried any other words she might have said against his mouth, deepening the kiss.

 **Mike**       Baseball had been Mike’s favorite thing to do for pretty much his entire life. Being on the field made him feel alive; it was the one thing he was truly good at and where he felt most at peace, and he really did love the game. Being kissed by Ginny Baker, he was pretty sure, was able to top that. When he was in the zone on the field, the rest of the world faded into a blur of white noise. When he was with Ginny, the rest of the world didn’t exist. Mike tightened his hold around her waist, his kisses returned almost becoming desperate as they intensified. “How’re you feeling?” he questioned, his words slightly muffled as he attempted to not let the kiss breath as he spoke. “You mentioned something about breakfast in bed this morning.” He recalled. “How do you feel about breakfast for dinner?”

 **Ginny**     God, Ginny wanted nothing more than for him to be inside of her. It felt like it had been way too long since they had last joined in that way. She was still a little sore but that didn't matter to her. She didn't think she was sore enough that they would have to stop this time. "Yeah, yes," she hissed against his mouth, her good hand sweeping down his belly to the waistband of his shorts.

"You? You're-your knees?" Her hand slip inside his shorts and without preamble, wrapped around his cock.

 **Mike**       He’d been prepared for her to say she wasn’t up to it and take care of himself in the shower. But, as usual, Ginny surprised him by going full speed ahead. Mike sucked in a sharp breath of air when she took him in her hand, his own hands slipping under her shirt and palming her breasts. Giving them each a firm squeeze, he moved his mouth to her neck, sucking and biting on any available skin he could reach. “Fuck my knees.” Mike muttered. They weren’t going to get any better, that wasn’t news. They’d hurt until he got them replaced eventually. Whatever pain he was about to endure was more than worth it. “Upstairs.” He finally managed to sputter. “I have stuff upstairs if you want- it might help the pain.” Lube would definitely make it easier for her to adjust to him, and he wanted her to actually enjoy herself this time.

 **Ginny**     Ginny wasn't sure how anyone was supposed to say no to Mike Lawson, not with the way he kissed, not with the way she already knew how good it felt to have him inside of her. She moaned when he touched her breast, arching her back to push them into his rough embrace. It seemed, at least, he might be on the same page, willing to put up with whatever pain it took to be with each other. She made an annoyed sound when he suggested they go upstairs because that meant they would have to stop this and take that time to get upstairs, but she couldn't ignore that it might be a good idea for both of them to do it in a bed. Ginny pulled back from him a little and her gaze caught sight of the soiled towel from her brief rub down of him earlier, and she pulled back more. "Mike, Mike, maybe we shouldn't." It was just about the last thing she wanted to say, but she couldn't help but think about tomorrow. "You have a game tomorrow." She didn't think the team would appreciate her very much if she broken their catcher because the two couldn't keep their hands to themselves.

 **Mike**       Mike nearly rolled his eyes. Her concern for his body was sweet, but whether or not they had sex wasn’t going to change the fact that he was old and his body was falling apart. It would change whether or not he was able to function and his level of grouchiness. His body could go screw itself. He’d dealt with pain before, he sure as hell could deal with it now. “Uh-uh,” he refused, gripping the hem of her shirt and lifting it over her head to toss behind him. Her bra quickly followed, and he quickly dipped his head to take a nipple into his mouth. “Right now.” Mike said firmly. “Need you.”

 **Ginny**     Ginny snorted, oh so attractively, at his dismissiveness. Well, at least the team wouldn't know it was her that broke their captain. When he let go of her nipple to talk, she pulled away once more and climbed out of his lap. For a second, it might look as if she was once again trying to put a stop to things, but that went out the window when she shimmied out of her pants. "Upstairs, then," she said before turning with a whip of her hair and heading towards the stairs. "And bring the food with you. I'm going to be hungry after this."


	10. Look At Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Basically smut. A lot of smut. And some talk of the future. And more smut.
> 
>  _Darling look at me_  
>  I've fallen like a fool for you  
> Darling can't you see  
> I'd do anything you want me to  
> I tell myself I'm in too deep  
> Then I fall a little farther  
> Every time you look at me  
> -Carrie Underwood, Look At Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: IT'S A LOT OF SMUT, IN CASE YOU DIDN'T ALREADY GET THAT. SMUT SMUT SMUT. DIRTY ADULT THINGS. SHIELD YOUR EYES, KIDS. And language, because #ADULTING.
> 
> *Also this is RP done in a chat box, so we don't beta this shit. Sorry for the errors. 
> 
> Spoilers: Pitch, season 1. 1x10 especially.
> 
> Follow us on tumblr  
> trenchcoatstories  
> 

**Ginny** Ginny was definitely still quite sore but enough lube and patience, and it was infinitely better than their last try. In fact, Ginny was pretty sure this was the best time yet, and between the lube, her own wetness and Mike cumming inside of her, she was a literal fucking mess by the time she collapsed on top of him. "Holy fuck," she panted against his neck. After a few minutes of catching her breath, she rolled off of him and plucked his shirt off the corner of the bed to give herself a cursory clean up that probably wasn't going to help all that much.

"Holy fucking shit." She reached out to his face, digging her fingers into his beard, thumb brushing over his mouth.

"So, so worth it, baby." She didn't even care that there was some definitely ego stroking that he would take from her words because god damn, he deserved it. 

 **Mike** Sex with Ginny Baker would never get old. Mike wasn’t sure how she managed to take his breath away every time, but she did. Being with her intensified every feeling, every emotion, every fiber of his being was on overdrive. This time was no exception. Their first time together would always be special because it was their first. It was the culmination of three months of pent up frustration and longing and desire, but this time was definitely hotter, dirtier, and much more intense.

“Jesus Christ,” he swore, watching her with lust in his eyes as she moved around, capturing her mouth in a deep, wet kiss when she returned to him. With her hair pointing in every direction, mouth swollen, body covered in kisses and bite marks and a mix of their bodily fluids, she had never looked sexier.

“You are a fucking dream.” Mike murmured, his hand cupping her chin as he continued to drop languid kisses between words. “I am never letting you leave.”

  
**Ginny**  Ginny wasn't sure if it the still lingering endorphins, how fucking sexy Mike kisses made her feel, the fact that she thought she might be two seconds away from telling him she loved him, but it took most of her self control not to climb back on him and see if they could top everything they had just done.

"You keep performing like that," she gestured vaguely to his form. "And I guarantee you are not going to have to worry about me going anywhere."

She dropped her mouth to his shoulder, pressing wet kisses to his sweaty skin. After a moment, she lifted her head from the bed to look over his body to the nightstand where their dinner was, probably cold, but again, so worth it. She made a grabby hand motion to the bag.

"The fact that you brought the food to bed definitely helps your case." Instead of waiting for him, she rolled so her body was pressed into his and then reached over him, chest dangling in his face, and grabbed the bag fulls of styrofoam boxes. She dropped the bag on her side of the bed but took a detour to lean over and give him a filthy kiss that lingered and left her moaning.

 **Mike**  It didn’t even make sense, how enamored he was with her. Mike felt like he could sit and watch her do the simplest, menial tasks for hours and never get bored. The way she moved, every muscle, every arch and crevice of her body, he wanted to explore and worship for hours. He was addicted to her and it was completely ridiculous, but he didn’t even give a shit anymore. She captivated him and had him by the balls and he didn’t give two fucks about it.

“That can be arranged.”

As much as Mike hated it, food was sadly a necessity and he really was starving, the knowledge that refueling would likely lead to another round one of the only things that kept him from tossing away their dinner. Instead, he latched on to her breast dangling in his face, sucking greedily until Ginny moved back and kissed him again. Sitting up, Mike’s hands slid around her waist, pulling her between his legs until her ass was firmly pressed against his pelvis, his dick fully alert against her back. He reached in front of her to take his own container, shoveling a bite into his mouth and dropping his head into the crook of her neck as he chewed.

“I seriously hope you realize,” he grumbled through a mouthful of food, “That you will be getting very little sleep tonight.”

 **Ginny** Mike's mouth on her breast was definitely one of Ginny's favorite things and she might have been content to just settle with her breasts pillowed in his mouth if it wasn't for the gurgling of her stomach. They had definitely played hard, though, so a little food was a necessity. Ginny gasped when she felt how hard he was as he pulled her into his lap and she rubbed her ass against him just to feel it a little more. The smell of the food from the BBQ place was admittedly so good it was a bit distracting, and she peeled her own container open to pull out a rib with the sweetest BBQ sauce she had ever tasted. She laughed at his words, even as they sent a shiver down her spine.

"I dunno. You have work in the morning," she teased him as she suckled the sauce from her fingers. She leaned back into him, even as she took a spoonful of potato salad.

"Can we try it like this next?" She tilted her head back to look at him. "I mean, will you take me from behind." She could feel his thick, muscled thighs framing hers and was very interested in how they would feel as they snapped against hers. Hopefully his knees could take it. "Or do you need me on top next?"

 **Mike** With every day that passed, the more it became evident to Mike that his body really was reaching the end of its professional career. His knees hurt nearly all the time now, his back constantly ached, and his muscles in general were sore on a regular basis no matter how many ice baths, messages, or PT sessions he had. The simple truth was he had maybe two seasons left in him, if he was lucky. Realistically, the next would likely be his last. And the knowledge of knowing this allowed him to go full out every time. He had no reason to try and preserve his body for the long haul- he was going out anyway, so it might as well be swinging. It was also the reason he no longer cared what physical damage was done to him. It was going to happen anyway.

“Don’t you worry about work. That’s what coffee’s for.” He assured her between bites, refusing to let something as ridiculous as work get in the way of fucking her senseless. Mike let out a groan and bent forward to trail a series of kisses down her spine. Was she seriously asking if he was willing to go doggy style?

“Fuck Ginny, we can do whatever you want,” He murmured, nudging his pelvis forward a bit and stroking the length of his dick against her ass. “Just get on right now.”

 **Ginny** Ginny hummed thoughtfully. "I don't know. Wouldn't want you falling asleep at the plate or passing out in one of your ice baths," she returned, tilting her head forward the give his mouth better access to her back.

His beard tickled against her skin and she squirmed a little, giggling, though her belly was full of heat as she thought about just lifting herself up a little and sliding back down on his cock, how easy that would be, how good it would feel. She definitely wanted that, but she wasn't quite done stuffing her face.

"Maybe in a bit. Food is priority #1 right now." That didn't stop her from imagining him bent over her back as he thrust in and out of her, of watching him slid into her with nothing between them.

"I have an IUD," she said, suddenly. They hadn't really talked about the fact they were now forgoing condoms. "Just...so you don't need to worry about...surprises..." Now that she thought about it, Ginny didn't even know if Mike wanted kids, ever, but then again, Ginny hadn't ever given much thought to her own feelings on them either.

 **Mike**  “Please, I may be old but I’m made of steel.” Mike scoffed.

Granted, he wasn’t completely indestructible, but at this point there wasn’t much he could do to really fuck his body up any worse. He’d need both knees replaced after he retired; he’d known that for years. Until then it was just a matter of how much pain he could tolerate.

“Besides, I’m sure Livan would be more than happy to take over if I’m drowsy.” He added dryly.

The young catcher actually hadn’t been as big of a pain in the ass lately. Granted he was still an arrogant prick, but he was slowly edging closer to the less shitty side of almost tolerable. A chuckle escaped his lips. Of course Ginny Baker would turn down sex for food. It wasn’t even a surprise.

“Eat fast,” Was all he murmured.

Decidedly having had his fill for the time being, Mike slid his hands around her waist, letting them rest against her stomach as she spoke. He’d wanted kids pretty much all his life, but only when the time was right. And the time was obviously nowhere near right, so the knowledge about the IUD was good to hear. He’d figured she had something along that line when she assured him they were fine to go without protection. It was kind of astounding how quickly they’d abandoned condoms- even he and Rachel had used them nearly their entire marriage. But he trusted Ginny and the simple truth was after being with her sans barrier, he wasn’t sure he could go back.

“M’kay,” he said easily, letting his hands trail up her chest, squeezing at her breasts.

 **Ginny** Ginny turned to look at him with wide, surprised eyes. Yeah, Livan was a good catcher, but Mike belonged behind the plate for the Padres.

"Okay, if you are willingly giving up time behind the play to Livan for sex, then I am most definitely cutting you off, because you must have gotten sex drunk or something," she said.

"I can't think of any sex that would be worth missing mound time for." She smiled a little sheepishly at him. "No offense." She rolled her eyes at him pushing her to eat faster, gazing down at the rib as she peeled the meat off of it.

She wasn't sure what she had wanted in return to her admission of an IUD, but Mike gave her very little feedback about it and she couldn't help but focus on it a little.

"Do you, uh, want them? Kids? Like...someday?" She abandoned the food now, slowly working on packing it back up. "I'm not asking for me or anything. I'm just, you know, curious."

 **Mike** Mike rolled his eyes.

“Again, Baker, I’m old, not completely senile. I’m not giving up anything,” he assured her. “But we’re already out of the running for the season so I won’t be starting very much anyway. Duarte needs to practice and I need to rest my dinosaur bones so I can play when it actually matters next year.”

He didn’t even bat an eyelash at her comment. Of course she’d pick baseball before sex. He did for most of his life. Still did most of the time. It was what being a ballplayer was all about- baseball first. It was the reason his marriage had failed.  
  
The mention of kids stilled his hands against her chest. Kids were literally one of the last things he ever expected Ginny to bring up. Not that it was a bad thing, it just took him by surprise that she would even mention it.

“Uh, I dunno,” he said slowly. “I mean, yeah. Kids would be good. Someday.” He added, trying to keep his tone light. “When the timing was right. Y’know. With the right person.” Fuck, why was his heart beating so fast?

“What, uh, what about you?” He didn’t want to freak her out or anything, but since she was the one that brought it up he was curious and it was only fair that she answer too.

 **Ginny**  Ginny grinned at him. "Sometimes it's hard to tell," she teased before giggling at her own joke.

It made sense for him to start sitting it out more, though, and she had to admit she was kind of glad that he would be getting more rest. She needed him for next year. Ginny was pretty sure they had a decent chance of making it into the postseason next year. It hadn't exactly been a near miss this year, but they had been close, and there had been moments of them really gelling. Next year, they could be true contenders.

Even though she didn't look at him as he spoke about kids, her body was still, indicating she was listening very closely. She wasn't sure if she was surprised by his answer. Families in baseball were kind of a big deal and most players did have them. If Mike did want them, she couldn't help but wonder why it hadn't happened with Rachel. Had it not felt right for him or had Rachel not been ready for them? It shouldn't have surprised her that he would throw the question back at her, but when he did, her eyes went wide and she turned to look at him. A little frown creased her brow.

"I...huh," she said, seeming stumped by the question. "I honestly never even thought about it. The future's always been baseball and...that's it."

She rolled onto her stomach, facing him, and took his hand in hers. sliding her fingers between his. "Is that a deal breaker for you?"

 **Mike**  It was kind of surreal that three days ago the two of them hadn’t even hardly been speaking. Two days ago they were confessing their feelings and making out in a hospital bed, yesterday they were sleeping together for the first time, and today they were fucking like bunnies and talking about kids.

Yeah, one might be able to say life with Ginny Baker was somewhat of a wild ride. The crazy part was, Mike wasn’t bothered by any of it. Yeah, it was nuts. No, it didn’t make sense. But it hadn’t made sense all along, so by now he’d decided not to question anything and just go with it.

He had to stop and think about her question. It wasn’t a surprise she’d never thought about having kids; she was twenty-three. She basically still was a kid and her entire life had been focused on baseball. But were kids a deal breaker for him? The question was pretty heavy, but just the fact that she was being brazen enough to ask was another huge sign of her comfort with him.

“I never really thought about it like that,” Mike said honestly, because he hadn’t. “Rachel brought it up a few times, but I was always more focused on my career,” He told her truthfully. “My answer was always Someday. Eventually. When the timing is right.” He shrugged, almost unbothered with this information as he continued, “Turns out it never was. I think she always held it against me.”

He squeezed their intertwined hands. “Probably for the best, seeing how it all ended up. Wouldn’t want a kid stuck in this mess, you know?”

 **Ginny**  Ginny couldn't relate well to any history of this kind of conversation because she had never had it before, but she could relate to her career as a focus because that's where she was. Still, the idea of Mike never having children made her feel almost sad. Not for him, but for children who would miss out on him as a father.

"For what it's worth, I think a kid would be lucky to get stuck with you," she said, honestly, a tiny smile on her face.

And just like that, it was like the question was answered for her. The answer was suddenly so obvious that she had to giggle a little because it was also absurd to not only be having this conversation now, but for the answer to such a heavy question to come in a lightbulb moment. She turned to bury her giggles into the sheets, but they kept coming, causing her shoulders to shake and then the rest of her body to follow. It took her a good few minutes to get the laughter and when she could finally contain the giggles, she looked up at him, her cheek now resting against the sheets. Yeah, she wanted kids, if they had his warm brown eyes and him and maybe even a mole like he had just under the dimple of his left cheek. She reached out to run her finger over the tiny bump and then into his beard.

"Someday. Eventually," she said softly and it almost sounded like a promise.

 **Mike**  Kids had always been appealing to Mike. Hell, he was a big kid. So the idea of chasing a bunch of rugrats around wasn’t at all negative in his mind. He already had a group of wild ass kids he had to take care of on the Padres, and even if they bugged the piss out of him, he loved being their captain. Plus, he wanted a family of his own. Between the drama with his dad and the train wreck, as much as he loved her, that was his mother, Mike longed for something stable and reliable that he could settle and be happy with.

“Well you’d be a pretty kick ass mom.” He returned, meaning every word. He could totally see Ginny being a complete supermom, keeping everything in order, taking care of the family, and still managing to wind up a hall-of-famer.

He couldn’t help but stare as she burst into giggles. She truly was a beauty, and it never quit taking his breath away. Probably never would. Mike found himself unable to keep from grinning as well, slipping his arms around to pull her body flush against his.

“What’s going on in that head of yours, huh? You look pretty damn happy, Rookie. Fill me in.” He requested, a feeling of complete contentment washing over his body as he looked down at her.

Leaning forward to brush their lips together, he smiled against her mouth. “If you tell me, I can be happy too and we can celebrate together.”

 **Ginny**  Ginny had never thought of herself as a parent of anyone, which made sense since she was young and hadn't thought much about kids to begin with. She hoped she could learn from both of her parents, from their strengths and their mistakes. And with Mike, between the two of them, she thought they could figure out how to have happy kids. Kids who could find their passion without it consuming the whole family. Kids who could choose the dress and the glove. The idea of it all made her eyes sparkle as he wrapped his arms around her, and she curled her good arm under his, so she could spread her hand across his upper back. She leaned into him as they kissed and then nuzzled her cheek against his beard, her grin wide enough that he could probably feel her dimples even through the fur on his face.

"It's just...sometimes there's a clarity with you," she said softly. "I've never felt that with another person. Only baseball."

 **Mike**  The more he thought about it, Mike could see it. Tiny babies with caramel skin, his eyes, her curly hair. Children with her horse laugh and a genetic athletic ability that came as no surprise. Teenagers that bickered and drove them up the wall. He could see it, and he could see it with her. And though she may not have said it outright, he was pretty damn sure Ginny could see it too.

“I would be honored to knock you up someday, Rookie.” he said with a smirk.

“Though you do realize if we do the whole Happily Ever After thing, that means you have to move in with me.”

The grin now felt like a permanent fixture on his face. How the fuck did they go from not speaking to talking about kids in less than a week? And even more, why the hell were they both so fine with it? The world truly was unbelievable.

 **Ginny** Ginny tilted her head back and laughed out loud.

"Well, when you put it in such romantic terms, climb aboard," she teased him, pulling away from him and giving his chest a light push.

She let herself fall back onto her back so she was laying next to him. She rolled her eyes as he mentioned moving in.

"Yeah, but, see I'm thinking years out at this point, so grab a lawn chair and settle in for the long game, old man."

When she looked at him, his grin was infectious and she mirrored one back. This was all crazy but it didn't feel that way. She laughed a little again and wrapped her hand around his neck to pull him into her, meeting his lips with an open mouth kiss.

 **Mike**  The fact that he had seriously just offered to get her pregnant in the future and didn’t send her running was a small miracle. But her acknowledging and, unless he heard wrong...accepting? Mike was pretty sure he was in an alternate universe. She wanted to have his babies and play the long game. As in permanent.

“Watch it Baker, or I’ll get you pregnant right now.” He warned, eyes filled with mirth as he teased her.

“’m still not letting you leave though. Put your crap wherever you want, change the place up. You’re staying right here with me.”

Growing a bit more serious, he returned her kiss, lazily lapping his tongue against her mouth.

“I can do the long game.” Mike said quietly, picking up her left hand and gazing at it. 

He ran his fingers against her fourth finger, his eyes almost glazing over in thought.

 **Ginny**  Ginny snorted at his comment, shaking her head.

"I've got a couple rings to put on my fingers and a few other titles to claim before mom becomes one of them."

Hall of Famer, MVP, World Series MVP. Oh, she definitely had a lot more baseball to play before she'd hang it up and move onto a different chapter of her life. She arched an eyebrow at his insistence that she was staying. At this point, it still wasn't her plan, but considering the plans they had just spent the past ten minutes talking about, she wasn't entirely sure how things were going to go between them.

"If you can figure out a way to move your glass house to the Omni or within the same distance from Petco, I'll stay, but I'm not even sure Mayor Mike can make that happen."

Her features softened a little as she watched his face, the way he was gazing at her left hand. A tiny shiver ran through her body. She was pretty sure that look should freak her out, it should freak him out, but it didn't seem to, even if she knew she wasn't ready for it.

"The only rings going on these fingers any time soon are going to say World Series Champions on them, Mike Lawson."

  
**Mike**  It was kind of terrifying, the images he was seeing flash through his mind. Ginny with a rock on her hand, Ginny in a white dress, Ginny with a big belly, Ginny next to him as they chased kids around the yard. It terrified him because he could see it so clearly, and it terrified him that if he was honest, it didn’t really terrify him at all. But before the ring and the dress and the belly and the yard, she needed a different ring and several titles, which Mike was more than positive she would get.

“I’m totally cool with that,” He assured her. “We’ll win the Series next year, and it’ll be the first of many in your epic career. Which I will be right there for, even if it’s in the stands with brand new knees,”

It was a promise, his words, and he hoped she realized that. Of course, unable to remain serious for more than five seconds at a time, he couldn’t help but flippantly add,

“And, y’know, if it makes it easier, I’ll have the kids.” Giving her a bright grin, Mike leaned in and kissed her again, deep.

“You still want me to take you from behind?” he questioned hungrily, eyes dark.

 **Ginny**  Ginny didn't particularly like thinking about baseball after Mike, even if she knew it was an inevitability. She didn't know how much longer he thought he would be able to play but she did know that the end was coming soon. Of course, that was just the end of them together on the field, which was hard and it felt a bit like a gut punch, even thinking about it, but it wasn't everything. She grabbed his hand and gripped it tightly in hers.

"We'll get it," she said and it was a promise of her own.

Of course that seriousness barely lasted and she rolled her eyes, turning her head away from him.

"If only that was an option."

She welcomed his kiss, hand spread out over one cheek, nodding at his question. She pulled herself up onto her knees and grabbed the bag of their food, turning away from him to put it on the floor on the other side of the bed. This left her bent over the edge of the bed, ass swaying in the air, which might have looked unintentional, until she turned to look at him over her shoulder with a wicked, lusty grin.

 **Mike** He didn’t know what happened. One minute they were barely speaking, the next they were making plans for the rest of their lives. Mike had no idea how things changed so quickly, but he couldn’t say he wasn’t happy about it. In that moment, it felt like they really could have it all. They’d win the Series, she’d get her MVPs and HoF, they’d get married and have babies and really fucking do it: the whole damn thing. And this was the start. It felt kind of monumental.

Mike wished he could take a picture to capture the moment, but he was smart enough to know that was not only not an option, but possibly cause for him to wind up on the couch for the evening. Instead he paused, taking in the bright smile on the woman before him and knew this would be a moment they never forgot.

The site of her bare ass before him brought his focus right back to the task at hand. Pushing forward Mike gripped her hips and grinned, leaning down to lick a line straight down her pussy.

“You want the lube or no?” he questioned. She was already wet as hell, but he didn’t want her to be in any more pain than necessary.

 **Ginny**  The ups and downs of the past few days were near enough to give someone whiplash and even though she felt content in this moment, Ginny knew there was still a long, hard road ahead of her. At the end of it though was life with this man and that was worth all the hardships. Especially since life with him meant his tongue on her pussy. Ginny shuddered hard at the swipe of his tongue, pressing her chest down on the bed and widening the spread of her legs.

"Yeah, maybe," she said. "Can you do more of that first, though?"

 **Mike** Mike grinned. He would never get tired of seeing her react to his touch. Never. Knowing he was the reason she trembled and moaned and quivered and completely came apart was nearly enough to send him over the edge all on its own.

“Baby, I will do whatever you want.” He promised, settling himself down on the mattress and gripping her thighs.

He used his fingers to spread her pussy wide, taking his time to lap at the velvet walls. Nudging her clit with his nose, he took the mound of flesh into his mouth and sucked greedily, biting every so often and following with quick flicks of his tongue.

 **Ginny**  Ginny smirked at his promise.

"One of these days I'm going to -ah- use that against you and-and you won't like it," she gasped out as he put his mouth to good use.

One of the sexiest things about Mike was the way he really threw himself into every task. He didn't just use his mouth, but his tongue, his fingers, his freaking nose, and god damn, he didn't even have to do anything with it, his beard just drove her crazy when she felt it brush over her thighs or scratch against her clit. She squirmed, shoving back against him, using her free hand to pluck at her nipples as she whimpered his name over and over. It didn't take more than a few minutes before she was shying away from him.

"Okay, okay, m'going to cum if you don't stop."

 **Mike**  He knew she’d take full advantage of his words, but he barely cared. She owned his ass and they both knew it. She could ask him for damn near anything and would get it. So be it. Focusing on his current responsibility, Mike grabbed at her hips and tugged her back.

“Do it,” he said darkly. “Cum for me right now and I’ll make you do it again when I fuck you from behind. I want to taste you when you explode all over my face.”

Reaching up he quickly licked two of his fingers before slipping them inside of her, biting firmly against her swollen clit while his free hand held her hips wide.

“Right now, Ginny,” he said again. “Cum on my face right fucking now.”

 **Ginny** Ginny's thighs clenched as she tried to hold off her orgasm. She knew it was a lost cause from the start with the way he was dirtily mumbling into her skin, but it wasn't until he ordered her to cum that her body actually obeyed. Her hips bucked wildly as she pulsed around his fingers, soaking his face and and beard and the bedsheet with her juices. Her body slumped forward, though her hips remained in the air, and she panted heavily. After a moment, she lifted her head and looked back.

"Lemme see you, baby," she said, wanting to see his beard wet with her release.

She smiled when she saw him, reaching back to tug on his drenched beard.

"Good look for you."

Part of her wanted to roll over onto her back and welcome him between her legs, because she wanted to hold him and look into his eyes as he made love to her, but she was still also looking forward to him fucking her from behind.

"Gonna fuck me now, Mike? Wanna feel you."

 **Mike**  Mike felt like a man with water after being lost in the desert for weeks. He lapped at her juices greedily, sucking her pussy like it was the sweetest fruit he’d ever tasted. He felt himself hard and fully erect as she fell apart at his command. Good god, she was going to kill him. When she finally looked down, Mike cupped her face and kissed her deep and wet, wanting her to taste herself on him.

“Fucking goddess,” he muttered, his voice almost carnal.

His eyes were dark with lust as he reached for the lube, slathering his rock hard dick while she got into position.

“I want to hear you,” he said lowly, grazing the tip of his cock against her soaking wet pussy. “I want you to fucking scream, Ginny. Are you listening? I am gonna make you cum so hard you won’t be able to walk and I want to hear it.”

It was probably some sort of deep rooted masculine, territorial crap, but Mike wanted this girl to have trouble walking for the next several days after he got done with her. Of course the last thing he ever wanted was her in pain, he just wanted the feeling of himself deep inside of her to last, and everyone that saw her to know that even if they weren’t sure exactly who, someone was taking care of her and she was not available to anyone else. Was it misogynistic and proprietal and demeaning? Not to Mike. The way he saw it, he wanted people to know how lucky he was that Ginny was his alone. But it wasn’t like he wanted people to think he controlled her, he just wanted to show off the fact that she chose him. And if the public couldn’t know, at least he would. Plus, it wasn’t like he wasn’t comfortable with the same treatment towards himself. He was more than happy to let people he belonged to her and no one else. Ginny’s pleas were like music to his ears. Placing one hand at the base of her spine, Mike lined himself up and pushed inside of her body, letting out a groan as they finally connected.

“Jesus,” he croaked, forcing himself to still as he made sure she was okay to continue.

“You good?”

 **Ginny**  Mike pushing into her made Ginny drag in a sharp breath and hold it until he checked in with her. It came out as a loud sigh. She shifted her hips to adjust, causing her inner walls to clench. She was still so so right around him and there was still a lingering pain she felt by taking him, one she could feel even through the satisfaction and fullness and the warmth of their combined heat. It was bearable though. Ginny let her shoulders fall forward onto the bed, leaning more on her good arm, and she slid her hand down her body and between her legs. Her touch skimmed over him at the point they connected before she drug her fingers up to her clit. When they circled the bundle of nerves, she clenched around him again. She focused on the pleasure she drew from herself for a few moments before nodding her head to Mike.

"M'okay. You can move now."

 **Mike** The initial best way to treat an injury was to rest. If you pulled a muscle, you avoided agitating it. If you broke your arm, you didn’t use it. If your foot got fucked up, you didn’t walk on it. It was the basic principal of healing: allowing your body time to recover. However, what that principal didn’t take into account was the fact that resting meant abstaining from mind-blowing sex with your new significant other, who basically turns you into a nymphomaniac. That being said, Mike didn’t want his girl to be in significant pain. It was bad enough she messed up her shoulder, he didn’t want to destroy her vag on top of that. He knew Ginny wouldn’t have let things get this far if she didn’t want it, though, and they sure as hell wouldn’t be on round three if she was in that much pain. She could make her own choices, so Mike was planning on moving forward until she said otherwise. Once given the go-ahead, Mike rocked his hips forward and pushed deeper into her body.

“I’ve got you.” He promised through heavy breaths.

Leaning forward he lifted a hand to tug at one of her nipples, dropping kisses along her spine as his other hand moved between them, brushing her hand away from her clit.

“Let me,” he begged, bucking his hips up as his fingers stroked against the mound of flesh.

 **Ginny** Feeling Mike push even further into her was a weird sensation because he already felt so deep. As he played with her nipples and reached between her legs, his body folded over hers, his chest pressed in tight to her back, just as she had pictured it. She could feel the thud of his heart, the heat of his flesh and the weight of him. Their bodies were pressed together from shoulders to toes, practically and it would have felt perfect. If it wasn't for her injured arm. The weight of him pressed her body down into the bed and there was no way for her to adjust without putting too much weight on her injured arm. Ginny tried to find a workable position but to no avail. Putting her good arm underneath her, she pushed up so her upper body was no longer pressed into the bed. With Mike doing most of the work, she thought it might work like this. She had good strength in her arms, perks of being an athlete.

"M'sorry, baby," she said to him.

"You're doing great but I'm thinking some very unsexy thoughts right now." Her voice came out almost as a laugh but it was mostly frustration.

 **Mike** Mike could tell she wasn’t completely in to it. She wasn’t making enough noises and the way she was moving wasn’t because she couldn’t contain herself, it was because she was trying to get comfortable.

“You’re fine, Gin. Don’t be sorry.” He assured her, when after several minutes of them both shifting around it was clear this wasn’t going to work.

Sometimes things didn’t work. Maybe it was the moment, maybe it was her arm; there were a ton of possibilities. If this way didn’t do the job, they’d find something else. Mike pulled himself out from her walls and ran a hand over her back, helping her turn over. He leaned down to press a tender kiss to her lips, his hands moving to her chest almost automatically and squeezing.

“You want to try something different?” he questioned, praying that she hadn’t completely given up on the task all together. He was still hard as hell and desperately wanted to make her cum a third time for the night.

 **Ginny**  Ginny was glad that she was able to give him feedback and he could take it without his male ego being damaged. It wasn't about him, at all, just the circumstances they had to deal with right now, particularly her arm. She breathed out in relief when she was back onto her back, even though she had really wanted to try that position. She could already tell it was going to be good once her arm wasn't bothering her.

"When my arm is better, we'll try that way again," she said, pouting a little because it would probably be weeks or maybe even months before that could be a viable position for them. She let her hand wander down to his cock and run over him a few times.

"I think just like this, the old fashioned way, might work best. Or maybe I could be on my side and you could behind me?" She wrinkled her nose at how unsexy she thought this was.

 **Mike**  Most of the time, missionary was made out to be pretty vanilla on the sex scale and for a long time, Mike had agreed. With Ginny though, he found himself feeling different. There was something about being on top of her, looking down at her face and their bodies as they connected that he loved. It was simple, yeah, but who ever argued with a classic?

“Trust me, we’ll try everything eventually.” He promised, kissing her again with a grin. Mike let out a groan as he felt her hands on him, his already hard member growing painful.

“Okay, let’s try something else. You trust me?” he waited for her consent before settling over her.

Slipping a hand into the crook of her knee, he helped lift her leg over his shoulder. Again looking to make sure she was still comfortable, Mike repeated the process so that both legs rested over his shoulders. Leaning forward, he pressed his tip into her entrance less than an inch and moaned a little.

“You good?” he checked for a final time before he moved any further.

 **Ginny**  Ginny giggled at his confidence that they would try everything. She sure as hell hoped so. As for missionary, Ginny definitely appreciated the position, even more so with her current limitations. This position just seemed to be the most comfortable of the ones they had tried, and it was also the one that let her touch Mike the most. Not only that but she really did love seeing his face.

She nodded when he seem interested in trying something a little different and she was definitely interested in seeing what interested him. As he dragged her legs over his shoulders, she could feel the stretch in her thighs, but otherwise the position felt good, even though she was practically folded in half. Being an athlete definitely had its perks and one of those perks seemed to be how limber and flexible she was. What Ginny really noticed about this position was the way she could perfectly see the spot where they joined together and her gaze seemed to gravitate there. She wanted to watch him disappear inside of her and she kicked her heels lightly against his back.

"Yeah, move," she demanded.

 **Mike** The last thing he wanted was for Ginny not to enjoy herself. Yeah, his rock hard dick was kind of distracting and a major issue, but his key focus and top priority would always be her. He wanted her to be comfortable, but he also loved the idea of introducing her to new things. He took pride in being the one that was given that privilege, to find out what kinks she had and what she liked best. At the current moment, she appeared to be pretty happy with their newest endeavor. At her command, he once again slowly pushed himself inside her body, the difference of ease from the previous position already evident as he slid in without struggle. Letting one hand fall from her leg, Mike steadied himself against the mattress and let his head fall to her breasts, his hips beginning to pump against her core. He was determined to find her G-spot before finishing this time around, no matter what.  

 **Ginny** Ginny pressed her head back into the bed and moaned as he pushed into her again. It seemed to be an easier fit, as if the new position opened her up more to him. She got to see Mike slid all the way into her, so his pelvis was pressed so tight against hers that she could no longer see his cock. The view left her with stuttering breaths, but then Mike's head fell forward to her breasts, blocking her view. Her hand fell to the back of his neck, touch light and encouraging.

"Ah, yes, like that," she groaned, not sure if she was referring to the way his mouth felt at her nipples or the thrust of his hips against her own. Her hand fell to his high, scratching through the hairs and then smoothing out so she could feel the flex of his thigh as he powered into her.

"Harder, Mike."

 **Mike**  He’d been trying to be gentle, to go slow and ease into the new position so her body could get adjusted, but after a few minutes Ginny made it clear she was more than ready for things to pick up. Nodding at her words, Mike pulled his hips back, his cock almost leaving her completely, before driving back in with more force. He continued to thrust into her, shifting his weight slightly each time to hit a different spot until he found the right one. Switching his mouth to her other breast, he swirled his tongue around the perky bud before sucking greedily.

“Let it out, Gin. It’s just us. I want you loud.” He panted, giving another hard thrust and allowing the hand not propping them up to slip between her thighs and press firmly on her clit.

 **Ginny**  When Mike turned up the force, the slam of his hips to hers had her nails digging into his thigh as she gasped out in pleasure. She was definitely going to be feeling this for days to come and it was going to be a very pleasant thing to remember. Her back arched, pushing her breasts up into his mouth, and she whined at the onslaught of his mouth and tongue and teeth. It was one well placed thrust, though, that had her crying out in pleasure, as he hit her G-spot. Her eyes opened wide as she looked up at him, surprise evident on her features.

"What?" she breathed out.

 **Mike** Mike almost laughed because of the pure adrenaline and pride that shot through his body when he finally found her spot. Removing his mouth from her chest he smiled down at her.

“Is that it, Gin? Did I find your G-spot?” he boasted.

Throwing his hips against hers again, he watched as her eyes nearly bugged out of her head. Fuck, she was a dream. Dropping his head into the crook of her neck, Mike panted heavily as he continued to pound into her body.

“Come on, Ginny. Scream for me.” He growled. “Let daddy hear you.”

 **Ginny**  "Oh," Ginny breathed in realization.

She had never had anyone find that spot inside of her, not even during her own exploration. When he hit it again, her eyes slammed and her entire body twitched around him. She felt as if she were literally going to explode from the inside out with pleasure. Her breaths were short as she panted his name, and she dropped her head to his shoulder, mouthing at the skin there. Of course, Mike couldn't leave well enough alone and when he spoke again, bringing up 'daddy,' her walls clenched hard around him as she bit into his shoulder, moaning loudly around her mouthful of his skin.

It still wasn't a scream but a moment later, she withdrew her teeth from his flesh, turning her head to brush her lips over ear and whispering, "Fuck me, daddy."

 **Mike**  While the feeling of being inside of her could probably never be topped, seeing Ginny’s reactions was definitely a close second. Mike loved hearing her moan and watching her squirm under his hands, knowing it was him making her lose her mind. She wasn’t the screamer he was hoping for, but in a way that almost made it better. Ginny wasn’t an easy one to let loose, so when she did it mattered. Mike shuddered at her dirty words, his cock pulsing deep inside her tight pussy. Taking hold of one of her legs again, he kept the limb bent but opened it out to her side, stretching her out even more as he thrust his hips harder.

“Cum on my dick, Ginny,” He ordered darkly, his volume increasing a bit as he got more enthralled in the moment. “Soak my cock right fucking now. I want this bed drenched.”

 **Ginny** Ginny hadn't thought that Mike's old, broke down knees could handle it any harder, but he proved her wrong as he spread her legs to open her up more and slammed harder, deeper inside of her. She was going to feel this shit for days, but the slap of his skin to hers was one of the most erotic things she had ever heard and it was worth all the pain she was sure was in her future. Ginny's body was so hopped up on pleasure that he barely had to even say the words before she was cumming. She seized up around him and buried her face into his neck as she cried out her orgasm, her walls contracting tightly around him. It felt like forever she stayed suspended in that feeling of burning hot pleasure. When it stopped, her body went limp, but there was a tightness in her thighs that made her seriously wonder if she had pulled something from the force of her orgasm.

Mike was still inside of her, she could feel his thickness, his heat, but he was no longer hard. She was mildly disappointed to have missed out on him orgasming but she wouldn't take back her own orgasm for anything. After another moment or so of rest, she nudged him to get him to move away from her so she could let her legs down, carefully stretching them out to fight off the kink she felt. When she dropped them back to the bedsheets, she immediately rolled back into him, pressing her lips along his shoulder and down his arm.

"Think I need to stretch better before I orgasm that hard again," she muttered against his skin.

 **Mike** It was only his laser focus on getting her off first that kept Mike from blowing his load before her. He continued to utter dirty words until finally he felt her walls clench around him as she released. The sound of her finally, finally crying out loud caused him to let go. Spilling himself deep inside of her, Mike let out a string of curses intermixed with her name as they came simultaneously. Dropping his head to her neck he licked the salty, sweaty skin while they both returned from their orgasms. He sighed a little at the feeling of being removed from her body, but gladly welcomed her back into his arms. Exchanging deep, wet kisses almost lazily, Mike couldn’t help but laugh a little.

“I think we’re gonna have to sleep in a different room, Rookie. My sheets are soaked.” He said blissfully. “Did I mention how much I love you lately?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was my first time putting up a chapter, so I'm sorry if it looks shittier than usual. -Lo


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Amelia Amelias.
> 
>  _First mile is always harder_  
>  When you're leaving what you know  
> Won't blame you if you stay here  
> Waving to me as I go  
> -Undermine, Hayden Panettierre

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: None.
> 
> Spoilers: All episodes, especially 1x10, 1x09.
> 
> Follow us and send us messages on tumblr  
> trenchcoatstories (Ashley/Ginny)  
> 

**Ginny**     The silence was stifling in Mike’s living room, where Ginny sat on the couch facing Amelia sitting in the armchair. Having Amelia here was weird for Ginny. Seeing Amelia in Mike’s place brought all these images of Amelia and Mike doing the kinds of things that she and Mike did now. Had they had sex in the kitchen where Mike made Ginny breakfast? Had he make Amelia breakfast after a night in his bed with her? Did Amelia let herself be seduce into the Jacuzzi outside or had she kept their dalliances in the interior?

The thoughts made Ginny wish that they had just done this at the Omni, where Ginny and Amelia had started this meeting at.

_The Omni was easier to get into this time around, as the press had thinned out in the week since her injury and Ginny now knew the secrets to getting in as undetected and unharrassed as possible without Amelia’s help._

_Ginny waited for Amelia in her hotel room, gazing down into Petco Park, where she could see the team at practice. She couldn’t make out the names from up here, but from the spread of the team and the time of day, she knew it was batting practice. It hurt to watch and not be there, but she couldn’t look away either._

_Until the knock on the door. Ginny knew Amelia still had a key, but she guessed it was Amelia trying to be respectful of the boundaries she knew Ginny was trying to set up. Just to be sure, Ginny looked through the peep hole before opening the door to allow her former agent in._

_“Hi.” Ginny stared across the room at Amelia, who gave her a tense smile._

_“Hi, Ginny.” Amelia crossed the room and after a brief, awkward moment, she wrapped her arms around Ginny. It was definitely an uncomfortable moment but Ginny hugged her back briefly. When Amelia pulled back, she stared at her in that searching way she did. “Ginny, do you really think-“_

_Ginny pulled away, cutting off whatever Amelia was going to say. Ginny had a good idea of what it would be. “I’m willing to talk about a lot of things, and even talk about him and how to navigate this whole ‘secret relationship’ thing, but Mike’s non-negotiable, so if you can’t handle that, we really don’t have anything more to talk about.”_

_Amelia stared at her, shocked, and it took a moment of the two standing there, staring at each other, before something like realization flashed over Amelia’s features. She nodded her head, slowly. “Okay.”_

“Do you want something to drink?” Ginny asked Amelia, who startled a little when her words broke the stifling silence. Ginny wasn’t sure why it was so surprising but she hadn’t been expecting this level of awkward. She couldn’t help but wonder if all this hadn’t been a mistake. Perhaps she should have moved on to a different agent, to someone who knew sports better or someone with less attachment to Mike.

“Oh, no, I’m okay. Thanks, though,” Amelia said and Ginny nodded, looking down to pick some lint off her sling. No, she knew that Amelia was a good agent. Any normal sports agent wouldn’t be able to understand the position Ginny was in, at least not as much as Amelia. It was weird to think of herself as such, but Amelia knew how to deal with stars, with the attention that people like Ginny garnered. Despite the awkwardness and the baggage, Ginny wanted Amelia because she was knew Amelia was what was best for her.

_“I know you care about me,” Ginny said and Amelia nodded her head warily, as if unsure where this line of thought was going, as if the notion of caring about Ginny wasn’t allowed. “I care about you too. I want you to know that I do. I know sometimes I’ve reached out in ways that have blurred our relationship beyond your average agent client relationship. We aren’t a normal agent and client, and I’m trying to figure out how to make this relationship both what I need and what I want.”_

_Ginny stared at her hands for a moment. This was harder than she thought it would be. It was easier when it was in a moment of annoyance or anger with Amelia and she could let her have it. It wasn’t the most mature thing, but it was easier for Ginny to react instinctively than whatever this was. “I need you to listen to what I want. Not what you think I should want. I know we won’t ever be like other agents with their clients and that’s fine, good even, but…I want us to be friends but for that to happen, I need you to listen.”_

_Her gaze dropped to her hands again, nervous that Amelia was going to think this too complicated and walk away. “Okay, Ginny, I can do that.” Ginny looked up at her agent and grinned, relief flooding through her._

Amelia’s gazed was traveling the room and Ginny wondered if anything was different from the last time she had been here. Maybe Amelia was cataloguing the differences. Or maybe she was just remembering all the places they had had sex. Ginny shuddered a little. “Are you planning on staying here through the off season?” Amelia asked, the question phrased with polite interest. Ginny clung to the distraction.

“Oh, no. I don’t really think…I need to be close to Petco,” Ginny said. Amelia nodded and her lip twitched as if she wanted to smile in approval or perhaps even grim satisfaction, but she didn’t and Ginny couldn’t fault her for a twitch of her lip. 

_“I really need to spend this offseason focusing on my rehab. I can’t do your book deals and your memoirs and all that other shit,” Ginny said and Amelia pressed her lips together. “I know you’re used to representing stars, but that’s not who I want to be. I want to be a ballplayer.”_

_“You can be both, Ginny. Look at Derek Jeter or Peyton Manning,” Amelia pointed out. Ginny raised a brow, sort of surprised that Amelia knew who either of those were. “I’ve been doing some research.” The words filled Ginny with a warmth for the blonde because it seemed to mean for her that Amelia was looking at other ways of doing things._

_“Maybe,” Ginny said. “Maybe I can have those things, but not now.” She ran her hand over her arm pointedly. Right now she was on the precipice of being a real ballplayer or being a flash in the pan. Things with her arm made everything uncertain right now. “Right now I need to just be a ballplayer.”_

“There’s a rehab specialist I think you should meet,” Amelia said. Amelia had been her agent for all of a handful of hours and she already had a specialist for Ginny to meet. Ginny wasn’t surprised. She offered Amelia a smile because she was grateful for how hard Amelia worked for her, probably even when she hadn’t technically been her agent.

“The Padres have a great rehab team,” Ginny said. She had seen them in action plenty while going over hitters with Mike and they massaged, stretched and taped his old body back together.

“I know they do, Ginny, but this guy is known for his work with female athletes,” Amelia pointed out. “His name is Charlie Echolls.” The name was actually familiar to Ginny and she could list several big name female athletes that had touted his work. “All I’m asking is that you think about it and maybe meet him next week.”

Ginny took the card that Amelia gave her, staring down at the neat, professional lettering. Slowly, she nodded. “I’ll do it.”

_“So, this thing between you and Mike…” Amelia started cautiously. It was the first time she had taken charge of the conversation that afternoon and it didn’t surprise Ginny that it was about Mike. Ginny nodded to indicate she could continue. “You want this to be kept quiet, right?” Ginny nodded again. “I’ve had clients with secret relationships before and I think there’s some rules that we should put in place, just to be as safe as possible.”_

_“Like what?” Ginny asked, suspiciously._

That’s why they were here, after all. That’s why this relationship between Ginny and her agent now included Mike. Ginny had wanted to keep things separate for many reasons. She had wanted a solid boundary between her professional life and her personal life when it came to Amelia, because she had wanted to make it hard for Amelia to entangle herself in the latter. At the end of the day, though, Ginny realized it was too interwoven to separately so easily, especially since she made the decision to sleep with her teammate, her captain.

Mike was her captain and her boyfriend, each role vital to Ginny’s life, one professional and one personal. To protect her professional life, Ginny had to protect this relationship from the public. She needed help to do that and Amelia seemed their best bet to protecting what they had between, protecting the team and protecting Ginny. 

The sound of the door opening turned both women’s attention toward the garage door, where Mike usually entered. “That’s him,” Ginny said, needlessly. Who else could it be? She jumped off from the couch and went into the hallway to meet Mike, though she lingered against the wall, instead of greeting him with a kiss like she had done the day before. “Amelia’s here.” It was another needless statement since she had texted to check it was okay in the first place. “Are you sure you’re doing this right now? You don’t want to just relax?” There was a hopeful tone in her voice, as if she were hoping to get out of the upcoming conversation, which was sure to be full of awkward. 

 

 **Mike** A common man would probably assume Mike would be dreading a meeting with his current (secret) girlfriend and his ex….hookup? Frequent booty call? Relationship was possibly the right word, but Amelia had never been his girlfriend. Sure, they had been exclusive, but their time together was far from the typical courting. Regardless, an ex relationship, to which the ex worked closely with the current relationship. Yeah, in normal circumstances that would probably be worthy of some dread. Mike Lawson was far from normal though, as was Ginny Baker and their situation. For Mike, it was simple: Amelia was an error in judgment and their time together, while nice, was a mistake. He had the girl he’d wanted all along. Now, Amelia was nothing more than Ginny’s agent, and he was fine with keeping their interaction affable, but strictly business. In his opinion, their paths needn’t cross for any reason other than matters concerning Ginny.

Mike arrived home from the final game of the current series showered and ready for whatever Amelia was going to throw at him. He knew Ginny’s agent would be by that afternoon to go over a game plan and despite the Padres loss, he wasn’t feeling too bad. They’d give it their best shot, but they were already out of the running for a ring anyway and truthfully, everyone knew they were just biding their time, trying not to go out looking too humiliated until the season wrapped up. Entering through the garage, he found Ginny leaning against the wall and couldn’t help but smile at the sight of her. “Hey,” he greeted fondly, not bristling a bit at her news. Even without the prior knowledge of her visit, Amelia’s car was parked at the curb. “I’m good. Plenty relaxed. No big deal.” Mike leaned forward and pressed a quick kiss to the side of her head. “Lemme grab a beer and I’ll be right there, okay?” Giving Ginny another smile as he headed for the kitchen, he couldn’t help but add, “Missed you, by the way.”

Dropping his stuff on the counter, Mike took three beer bottles from the fridge and made his way into the living room where both women sat awkwardly. He gave Amelia a nod as he entered, offering a simple, “Hi,” before setting two of the bottles on the coffee table. After opening his own, Mike lowered himself onto the couch only a few inches away from Ginny and draped his arm over the back of the sofa. “Alright, where do we start?”

 **Ginny**     The smile on Mike’s face when he saw her brought one to Ginny’s as well, although his cavalier attitude dimmed it slightly. Of course he would be the one feeling at ease while she was, while not a nervous wreck or anything, a bit anxious about the whole thing. Ginny’s hand slid along his lower abdomen when he pressed a kiss to her head and she leaned into his lips lightly, body acting on all instinct. “Sorry about the game,” she offered to him. She knew the games didn’t matter much at this point but as a competitor, she still hated to lose. They parted ways and she headed back to the living room and Amelia. 

“Beer,” she offered when Amelia raised a brow at Ginny coming back alone. Amelia made a knowing sound that Ginny struggled to not let bother her, but it just brought back all those images again. The clipped way they greeted each other helped a little. 

“Hello, Mike,” Amelia said, her voice clipped, clearly letting him know that she wasn’t pleased to be here or the situation they found themselves in. Ginny pressed the bottle of beer to her mouth and downed a good third of it. “Ginny?” Amelia seemed to be asking permission for her to go on and Ginny nodded from behind her beer bottle. “Ginny’s assured me that this…relationship is something the both of you want, but I think we can all agree that it’s not in Ginny’s best interest for it to be made public. Quite frankly, Mike, it’s not in your best interest either. This won’t play well, either in the sports media or celebrity news.”

Ginny plucked at the label of her beer bottle. “Amelia’s dealt with some relationships like these before. You know, secret ones. And she thinks there’s some ground rules that might be good for us to talk about, in order to make sure it doesn’t get sniffed out by the media.” She glanced up at him, looking none too pleased. “Is that okay?”

 **Mike** Mike shrugged. “My career’s not the concern here. Hers is. I mean, obviously I don’t want to look like the bad guy if I don’t have to, but I want to make one thing clear: whatever happens, Ginny’s the priority. Period.” He said firmly. Glancing beside him and already knowing the oncoming argument, Mike shook his head. “I’m almost done; you’re just getting started. Whatever happens, I’ll be more than fine. Ring or not, I’ve got what I want.” He told her quietly, the look in his eyes hinting at his words extending far beyond just baseball. “I know you will anyway, but try not to worry too much about me, okay? I’m good.” Removing his arm from the back of the sofa he extended it between their bodies, offering his upturned palm for her to take. 

Looking back to Amelia, he shrugged again. “I won’t agree to anything before I hear it, but I’m willing to hear you out and I’m not planning on being difficult about this. So, short of anything too drastic, we should be fine.” He offered. “Name your terms.”

 **Ginny**     Ginny offered Mike a small smile at his words. She appreciated that he was looking at for her, for her career and her legacy. She didn’t completely agree that it should be all about her, but she appreciated it. When he offered her his palm, she slid her hand into his without hesitation, wanting to reciprocate the way he didn’t hesitate when faced with this huge mountain of potential shit. Yeah, it was a little weird with Amelia’s hawk-like gaze on them both, not missing one inch of movement between them, but Ginny didn’t let that stop her.

Of course, leave Amelia to lay it all out there. “It’s cute to say that now, Mike, but you might sing a different tune when you start getting compared to Woody Allen. Forget broadcast, forget the Hall of Fame, you’ll only be remembered for ruining the legacy of the first woman in Major League Baseball,” Amelia said.

“Amelia,” Ginny chided lightly. “Come on. Neither of us want that.”

“I just want to make sure you both realize what’s on the line, for both of you,” she replied, her sharp gaze on Mike. “There’s a lot for both of you to lose and you’d both be wise to remember that. This is serious for you both.” As if Mike’s neck on the line was the only thing that would make him take this seriously. “I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t make that absolutely clear.”

 **Mike**       Mike bristled a bit at the blonde’s speech. He appreciated her looking out for him, he did, but he had his own agent for that. And while Ginny was capable of making her own decisions, she needed the guidance of someone to lead her in the business world. And while Mike was far from a professional, he’d been around a hell of a lot longer and knew how to handle his own shit. So the fact that Amelia was speaking as if he didn’t as well as obviously trying to minimize his and Ginny’s relationship was aggravating. “No, what’s cute is that you think you know what exactly you’re dealing with.” He replied evenly. “You think this is a fling. You’re wrong. My near-trade? Yeah, that was to get the hell away and not fuck this up for her. You didn’t know that.” He said sharply. “Just like you didn’t know that I turned down a second chance with my ex-wife to be with her. And you don’t know how in-depth we’ve talked about our plans for the future and how I tell her on a daily basis that I’m in love with her,” he glanced at Ginny with a fond smile, squeezing her hand, “because I am.” Setting his empty bottle down on the table, Mike leaned forward and leveled his gaze with the agent. “Your point is clear. As long as mine is too, we can keep going.”

 **Ginny** Ginny was pretty sure this wasn't going well, but what she wasn't sure about was how to put a stop to it all that didn't involve putting one of them out on their ass. But maybe it was good for them to get all the aggression and double speak out of the way, so they could move forward. For the moment, that seemed like the only thing that Ginny could do. She could have done without Mike expressing his love for her in front of Amelia but she understood why he had felt the need for it. She looked down with something like embarrassment, but her face was also flushed with pleasure. She even leaned her shoulder into him a little, erasing the few inches that had been between them. 

Her focus on Mike meant that she missed the stricken look on Amelia's face, brief as it was, particularly when Mike expressed his love for Ginny. It was just a moment but it was there. “You love her?” Amelia asked incredulously. “You’ve been dating for, what, a week? And you’ve known her for three months.” Amelia ran a hand through her hair, aggressively. “Do you have any idea how much pressure you are putting on Ginny? She already has the pressure of the world and now you want to add the craziness of this relationship. And let me guess, you also want her to move in with you.” 

Ginny turned to look at her with a confused frown because she hadn’t said anything to Amelia about Mike’s constant suggestions to just stay with him. It took her just a moment before she realized what that probably meant and a pit of dread dropped to the bottom of her stomach. Had Mike tried to get Amelia to move in with him too? Her gaze slowly slid over to Mike, just a fraction of the hurt she felt showing in her eyes. 

Her hand twitched in his as if she were about to pull away, but she didn’t. Instead her gaze turned back to Amelia, though she had trouble actually looking her in the eye. “How Mike and I feel about each other isn’t one of the things we’re going to discuss here. It was my choice to enter into this relationship, our choice, and that’s not a decision that involves you.”

 **Mike** Mike had planned for this to go entirely different. He’d come in calm and was prepared to agree to most of what Amelia would likely say. He expected the standard: no PDA, act strictly like teammates in public, don’t slip up, etc. It was all basic. But what the meeting had turned in to was a complete shit show. Now here he was being yelled at and judged and talked down to in his own house, as well as Ginny? Nope. Not gonna happen. And now with the obvious look of insecurity and doubt on Ginny’s face, he was more than just aggravated; he was downright pissed.

Despite his fury, Mike held back from yelling. “Don’t try to make this into something it’s not,” He warned. “I don’t want this to get ugly, Amelia, but don’t think I won’t be completely honest here if I need to, because we all know I will,” His voice dropped dangerously low, signifying just how serious he was with the subject at hand, “You have no idea how I feel about her. You have no idea what we’ve talked about or the plans we’ve made. And you have no right to judge us for it. So quit while you’re ahead and move on.”

Dismissing the blonde completely, he turned his focus to Ginny and locked their gazes. “You and me. Nothing has changed. Never will.” He swore, squeezing her hand. “Remember yesterday?” Mike asked, now barely above a whisper as he stroked the fourth finger of her left hand. “Nothing’s changed.” 

 

 **Ginny** It was true the past few minutes had put a bit of doubt into Ginny's mind. Mike thought that she was what he wanted and she definitely believed that he did. Right now. Perhaps that would change. His feelings for Rachel had, after all, and even though Ginny didn't know a lot about what happened between them, she knew that, at some point, he had thought he would spend the rest of their lives together. And yeah, maybe a lot of the blame could be placed on Rachel's shoulders for the first time around but Ginny did know that it had been more his choice to walk away from her their second try just last week. As Mike made his promises, brushing his finger over her ring finger, Ginny wanted to believe that he wouldn't and she gave him a small smile. Her doubts and insecurities would have to wait. Ginny leaned toward him, letting her forehead rest against his for a short moment, before she kissed him, short and chaste. Even if she was left feeling uneasy, she didn't want that to be what Amelia saw.

"Can we just move on now? I think you two have said what you needed to say about this and Amelia, I've heard more from you about it than I cared to. Now do you have some suggestions for us or not?" Amelia looked somewhat surprised by Ginny's words and she opened her mouth again, almost like she were about to add something else. Ginny raised a brow at her, a small warning that she was at the end of her patience.

"Well, okay," Amelia said after what seemed like an eternity to Ginny. "Then let's talk about what you two should do in order to keep this...relationship from becoming public. Number one, displays of affection should be kept to private places. That means here or perhaps your room at the Omni, Ginny. Absolutely nothing should ever happen in any kind of public places nor at Petco. I don't care how alone you two think you are or what secret hallways you think you know about. Someone will catch you, they will have a camera and they will sell the pictures for hundreds of thousands of dollars, at the very least."

Ginny could agree to that and she nodded her head. Messing around at Petco seemed like it was just asking for trouble. "It's also important to keep the number of people who know at a minimum. I know teams are like a family, but I don't think it would be a good idea to tell the entire organization. Did you two have any plans to tell anyone else?"

"Blip knows," Ginny said quietly. "There wasn't anyone else I was planning on telling any time soon. Mike?"

 **Mike** Mike could practically see the wheels spinning in Ginny’s head and it made him nervous. Since the very beginning of this crazy thing between them, one of his biggest fears had always been for her to think he didn’t really want her. All he wanted to do was spend the next several hours telling her how wrong that thought was, and to list the infinite number of ways he truly was crazy about her. It wasn’t the time for that though. Not now. But later for sure, he vowed silently. They’d talk more later when they were alone for sure. It was a priority. The fact that she kissed him in front of Amelia at least calmed his nerves slightly. Clearly she was willing to still figure this all out, and she was secure enough of their relationship to act so boldly in front of her manager. Mike returned the kiss in earnest, not caring in the slightest about the blonde staring at them, but still kept it short so that things didn’t get any worse than they already were. 

He couldn’t keep from smiling with pride a bit when Ginny spoke again to her agent. She was standing up not only for herself, but for them as a couple, and it was both impressive and sexy as hell. Squeezing her hand in a silent sign of support and praise, Mike listened as the blonde agent began to list all of the Do Nots of a secret relationship. None of it was surprising to him. It was all pretty basic, really. Obvious stuff like don’t make out in the clubhouse. Big shock. Still, he nodded, agreeing silently so no more insanity came of the meeting. 

When it came to the question of telling people, he paused for a moment to think. “Even if Blip didn’t know, it’s only a matter of time before Evelyn figures it out. She always does.” He finally pointed out. “I’m not sure how, but she does. So we should probably at least consider that.” He shrugged. “Otherwise I can’t think of anything. My agent wouldn’t care, but I don’t really think we should bother if I’m being honest. Most he’d say was not to knock you up.” Mike said honestly, holding back a grin as their conversation from the day before came to mind. “Anyway, that’s it on my end.”

 **Ginny**     Ginny nodded her when Mike brought up Evelyn. "Yeah, she hasn't said anything to me about it yet, so I don't think she know. I would definitely have heard about it from her," she said, thinking back to the morning after her and Mike's almost kiss outside Boardner's. "But I doubt she'll be in the dark for long." Ginny knew why Blip hadn't told Evelyn yet, because Evelyn had told her about her and Blip having some issues, which happened to lead back to the restaurant idea Will had brought along to Evelyn. She hoped they figured things out soon because she loved them both so much and thought they were awesome together.

Her eyes went wide when Mike brought up her being knocked up and she elbowed him in the gut. "That won't be happening," Ginny said, glaring at Mike first and then looking to Amelia to reassure her before Amelia decided to have a conniption over it. She didn't think Amelia needed to hear about what they might have talked about when it came to their very, very distant future plans.

"I'm hoping not," Amelia said, her gaze on Mike. It was clear she wanted to say more but seemed to think better of it. "Another important thing is to avoid documentation of your relationship. No pictures that you wouldn't take with a teammate, no mentions of the relationship in emails or texts. If you think you'll need to, I suggest burner phones that can't be traced back to you. I can get those for you both if you want them." Ginny nodded her head to show she understood. After what happened with Trevor, she could definitely understand the reason for that rule. "I would also like to ask that should anything happen, I be told immediately. If you two get caught or found out, no matter who by, I need to be told. If anything get written down and then goes missing, I should be told. I just need to be able to go into damage control as soon as possible. Does that sound okay?"

 **Mike** “Look, I don’t care if Evelyn knows or not.” Mike said truthfully. He loved the woman like a sister, but if it was best to keep her in the dark for now, that was okay with him. He just wasn’t sure of the likelihood due to her connection with Blip and Ginny. “That’s not my call. Whatever you guys think is best, I’ll go with. But regardless of whether or not we tell her, I think she’ll figure it out.”

He did his best not to grin at Ginny’s wide eyes. If nothing else, he was happy to make her relax just a tad. “That’s what I said.” He offered innocently. Of course he wasn’t going to get her pregnant. Yet. Still, it was fun to think about.

Mike almost wanted to roll his eyes as Amelia continued on. More of what he already knew. “No nudies other than the ones I get from Salvi on the regular.” He promised with a small smirk. “As for the phones, I think we can be subtle enough when we text. We mostly talk directly anyway, so it shouldn’t be a big deal.” He continued. At this point, Mike was getting tired of dealing with the awkward conversation and listening to Amelia tell him how to live his life. The exhaustion of the day was starting to settle in and all he really wanted was to eat something and maybe make out with Ginny for a little while. “Sounds reasonable,” he agreed, both because it truly did sound like something he could handle as well as to keep things moving.

 **Ginny**     "She's going to be a lot happier for us than Blip," Ginny told Mike, not thinking about how that might come across to Amelia. Obviously, Amelia now knew that she wasn't the only one on Team Ginny who might not be on Team Ginny and Mike. To Ginny that didn't really matter, of course, because it was really about how she and Mike felt about the relationship. "We could tell her, maybe next week, after the season is done."

Ginny could tell that Mike was beginning to check out of the conversation and apparently Amelia knew him well enough to be able to tell too, because she said "Okay, last thing. I would really like it if you two would run any big decisions by me first. If you two ever decide to become open about the relationship or even just deciding to tell the front office, things like that. I know that's asking a lot but I think it would be good for you two, if I could just share the optics of those decisions before you actually do them. At least I can prepare you for the reactions."

Ginny's mouth twisted in displeasure. "I don't know," she said. Amelia clearly wasn't on their side and she found herself unsure of Amelia would present the facts to them. "I mean, I definitely am okay with telling you when, if we decide to be open about our relationship, but...I don't feel like we're going to need feedback from you on that. Maybe we can just try and cross that bridge when we get there?" She looked to Mike to see what he thought.

 **Mike**       Mike could almost hear the other woman’s shrieks of joy when she found out about their relationship. “Yeah, I don’t think Ev will have a problem. You’re probably gonna have to talk her out of renting a church and taste testing cake flavors, honestly.” He said with a small chuckle. “Whatever you want, babe. We can have dinner or something.”

He frowned a bit as Amelia began to wrap up the meeting with her final request. She seriously wanted them to ask for permission to make decisions about their lives? They were asking her to be an agent, not a parent. Mike held himself back from snapping though, instead nodding at Ginny’s offer. Yeah, they would cross that bridge alright, without Amelia. “Agreed. Look, I’m not trying to be a jackass here Amelia, but the fact is Ginny and I are two grown adults in a relationship. And while I fully appreciate you wanting to help keep things from getting out of hand, at the end of the day we make the final call.” He said bluntly, holding up his free hand as if to prove his effort not to come across disrespectful. “That’s all I’ve got.”  

 **Ginny** Ginny groaned when Mike laid out how Evelyn would react. "Okay, on second thought, let's not tell her. Ever," she said, dropping her forehead to his shoulder. Yeah, Evelyn would definitely be their biggest cheerleader and most annoying group all rolled into one. She would probably want to have girl talk all the time now and Ginny wouldn't be surprised if Evelyn broke out her wedding dress magazines within the next month.

Ginny couldn't help but smile a little, watching Mike stand up to Amelia. She remembered how intimidated Noah had seemed by Amelia and that was when Amelia was being nice. Here was Mike, facing down Amelia as the mama bear circling her cub, even though Ginny herself took offense to that analogy. Turning her cheek into Mike's shoulder, Ginny turned to look at Amelia. "Anything else?" she asked her agent. Amelia sat back and shook her head, looking a little disappointed, as if she had thought the whole thing would send Ginny running. "I think that should be it for tonight then. Old Man needs to get to bed." She grinned at Mike as she slipped her hand out of Mike's and stood up with Amelia.

"Can I give you a ride back to the Omni?" Amelia asked.

"Ah, no, I'm going to stay here tonight," Ginny said. Amelia definitely wasn't pleased but she didn't say anything, just pulled Ginny into her arms for a hug that Ginny returned.

"I'm always around, if you need me," Amelia said, waving her phone that was permanently attached to her hand. Ginny smiled and nodded. "It was good to see you, Mike." Even if Ginny hadn't just witnessed the unpleasantness between Mike and Amelia, she wouldn't have believed her. Ginny turned back to Mike, running her hand through his hair, and jerked her head to indicate she was walking Amelia out. "Pop a casserole from Wanda in and I'll be right back."

On the sidewalk next to Amelia's car, Amelia turned to Ginny and looked her directly in the eye. "I'm worried about you. I know that didn't go...well, well, but I just want to protect you, Ginny," she said. Ginny nodded her head because she knew that, at least some of the protectiveness, came from a place of caring.

"I know. I appreciate it, Amelia, but...this isn't a part of my life I need you to protect me in, what's between me and Mike. From the outside world, maybe, but not from him. No matter what happens," she said. Whether he broke her heart or not.

When she wandered back inside, Mike was back on the couch with another beer, and she climbed onto the couch next to him, nudging herself under his arm. "I'm sorry," she said on behalf of Amelia. "Do you think we can make this work…with Amelia?"

 **Mike**       Again, the way in which Ginny took control and stood up to Amelia was mesmerizing. She took charge and owned the entire meeting, just like Mike always knew she could, but it was the fact that she defended him and their relationship so much that truly struck his heart. For someone that wasn’t great with talking about their feelings, she sure as hell knew how to prove herself through action, and it only made Mike adore her that much more. He gave a polite wave to Amelia as she exited, snorting a bit as Ginny gave him directions and carried on without a second thought. The most hilarious part of it all was that they both knew he would do it, and he did. He tossed a lasagna in the oven and grabbed another beer before returning to the sofa, letting out a loud sigh of relief once Ginny returned, signifying Amelia’s departure and finally putting an end to the meeting from hell. 

He welcomed Ginny into his embrace, pulling her onto his lap and kissing her tenderly before replying. “You have nothing to be sorry for. I’m the one who should be apologizing.” He told her with a sigh. “I went too far and let things get out of hand and I’m sorry.” He said seriously. “Look, I know a lot of stuff went down between us all and we need to talk about a lot of it, but the bottom line is that I’m willing to do whatever is necessary for this to work. If Amelia is included in that, so be it.” Lifting his free hand to cup her cheek, Mike found her eyes and made sure she was paying attention before continuing. “I love you. I want to be with you. That isn’t going to change, ever. I’m fine with dealing with anything that comes with that, as long as I get you. Okay?”

 

 **Ginny** Ginny shook her head when he said he was the one that should be apologizing, but she let him get everything out he needed to say. She smiled when he said he loved her and rubbed her hand up and down his chest, slowly. Her gaze dropped away from his when he fell quiet and she stayed quiet for a moment longer herself. Her fingers traced the letters of his Padres sweater he was wearing. "I think _she_ went too far and I shouldn't have let her, but I think that maybe I also understand more about why now," she said. "I think you hurt her when you two were...doing whatever. I don't really know much about love but I think I'm starting to-" She smiled a little because she was admitting that her feelings for him were pretty deep, but it also didn't feel like the best time to be giddy over it. "- and I think maybe she was a little...in love with you. Maybe she still is or maybe, maybe it's just hard for her to see us together." She sighed a little and leaned into Mike, tucking her head under his chin. "You'd be a hard man to get over, Lawson. I want to give her some time to figure it out, to see if she can, but I'm not going to give her forever." If Amelia couldn't get on better terms with Mike, then Amelia would be out of a job, again. "I can find another agent. Maybe they wouldn't be as good as Amelia but I could never find a replacement for you."

 **Mike** Mike was seriously beginning to doubt that she would ever quit amazing him. How she continued to blow him away all the time was mind boggling, but just when he thought she couldn’t do anything bigger or better or more incredible, she did. “What Amelia and I had was a mistake.” Mike finally said, his words soft as he thought back to his time with the blonde. “I hate that she wound up hurt because of it all, but it’s the truth. She’s a great person and we had fun, but the whole reason we even got started was because…” he sighed, realizing Ginny never knew about how exactly he and Amelia had got together. He wasn’t saying anything unless she asked though. Giving too much information about his relationship with her agent seemed like he was glorifying it, which was the exact opposite of his intent. “It shouldn’t have happened.” He said simply. 

“This whole thing is such a weird situation. I don’t think any of us can be blamed for not knowing how to deal with it.” Mike said tiredly. “But hey, I don’t want you getting rid of a really great agent because of me. Me and her will be cordial and it’ll be fine, okay? I won’t let it get out of hand.” He promised. Letting out a small sigh, he pressed a kiss to her head and smiled a little. She hadn’t quite dropped the L bomb yet, but damn it she was getting close and it made him absolutely ecstatic. “Good thing we already planned on making our own baseball team and doing the long game,” he smirked. “Because it sounds like you kind of dig me, Baker.”

 **Ginny**     Earlier in the day, Ginny had thought she wanted to know more about Mike and Amelia, if only to try and dispel some of the thoughts and images running through her head. With what the relationship seemed to be to Mike, fun and fucking, she didn't think it would help take away the images. With what she suspected the relationship had meant to Amelia, she didn't think it was fair of her to hope for it either. So she didn't ask, just simply nodded her head at his explanation and said "okay."

Ginny groaned. "You make me regret every nice thing I say to you, asshole," she muttered, voice muffled against his chest. She slid herself off his lap, flopping back onto the couch and resting her feet in his lap. She squirmed a little to adjust her arm, where it had gotten stuck between her body and the back cushion of the couch. With a little sigh, she ran her good hand through her hair, letting her gaze float up towards the ceiling. "If it did happen, it wouldn't be because of you. I mean, maybe a little because apparently you are a grade A asshole." She pushed against him with her foot to indicate she was teasing. "But I would only do it if it was what was needed, for me." Because having her agent either half in love or half in absolute loathing with the man she kind of planned on spending her life with, just wouldn't work. Not when that agent was as involved in her life as Amelia was, as maybe Ginny needed an agent to be. The thought of doing this without Amelia did make her sad, but the way Amelia treated Mike made her both sad and mad. It wasn't something that would be happening without some serious thought and another conversation with Amelia though. Ginny dropped her gaze to Mike. "Oh, and, baseball team? You can get that thought out of your head right now."

 **Mike** “Just to put it out there, you can always ask me whatever you want.” Mike announced, because again he could see her mind going crazy as she worked through it all. “You deserve to know everything, and I want you to. So, just so we’re clear, I’ll tell you whatever you want.” He said simply. “But no pressure.”

He let out a laugh at her exasperation. “You love it, Rookie. Admit it. For every stupid thing I say, I more than make up for it. I’m kind of a sweetheart.” He grinned, running his fingers against the sole of her feet. “Whatever happens with Amelia is your call. I’ll back you up no matter what. Just like always.” Dropping her feet, he ignored the protest of his muscles as he climbed down the couch to hover over her. “A baseball team would be fun. We could be like the Von Trapps, but athletes.” He teased. “But I’m willing to table the discussion for now. Although I’m not opposed to getting in some practice on making those little ballplayers.”

 **Ginny** Ginny nodded her head at his assurance that she could ask him things. “I know,” she said, because she did. And maybe she would, one day, learn all about Mike, more than just his baseball stats. Today had already been heavy, though, and they both had had a long day. She didn’t think today would be that day. “You can ask me about things too.”

Ginny rolled her eyes and snorted when he claimed he was a sweetheart, but didn’t comment on it further because he was kind of right. “We’ll see what happens,” she said about Amelia, though it was pretty clear she wanted things to work out with her. She had enough going on that she didn’t need drama with her agent or the hardship of finding one who could even come close to Amelia. She thought that maybe she might ask Evelyn about the situation once her friend was keyed in to what was going on. Ginny welcomed him into her arms when he climbed over to join her on her side of the couch, stroking her hand lightly down the small of his back. 

Her face screwed up in confusion when Mike mentioned the von Trapps. Who? "Okay, I don't know who the Von Trapps are, but the answer is still no," she said. "Unless men suddenly are capable of birthing children. Practice on the other hand…” She slid her hand up his back as he spoke, ending with it wrapped around the back of his neck so she could pull him in for a kiss. She let it linger, exploring his mouth slowly. “But not now.” She grinned as she gracefully slid out from underneath him and rose to her feet. “I can hear your old man bones creaking. You need a break.” She picked up the empty beer bottles, plus the now lukewarm one that Amelia hadn’t even touched, and headed into the kitchen to grab a couple more from the fridge and check on the lasagna, even though she knew it probably had another twenty minutes. 


	12. Everybody Talks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Evelyn is told and Blip comes around a little. 
> 
> _Everybody talks, everybody talks._  
>  Everybody talks too much.  
> -Everybody Talks, Neon Trees

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: None
> 
> Spoilers: Pitch season 1, especially 1x10.
> 
> Follow us on tumblr  
> trenchcoatstories  
> Give us kudos and comments!

**Mike**       If he didn’t already know the Sanders’ events always included copious amounts of alcohol, Mike was pretty sure he would have snuck a flask in his jacket pocket. While he wasn’t actually truly scared of Evelyn (at least, not concerning this. In general, yeah, she kind of scared him. But that was part of her charm) he was somewhat dreading the evening ahead. He already knew when Evelyn found out (if she didn’t already know, which was a strong possibility since she was like a bloodhound when it came to any sort of drama or gossip) she would spend the evening interrogating them and probably designing the nursery for their future kids. Combine that with Blip’s guaranteed dirty looks and snide comments, the night was sure to be a long one.

Still, Mike did his best to keep his face relaxed as he drove to the Sanders’ home. Ginny was stressed enough as it was; knowing he was a little on edge too would only work her up even more. Glancing quickly across the center console at his girlfriend, Mike grabbed her hand and offered a small smile. “It’ll be fine,” he tried to reassure her. “And if it’s not, give me the signal and we’ll bail. I know a great taco truck not far from here.” 

Evelyn Sanders opened the door before Mike could even ring the bell, a wide smile on her face. “Hey guys. Come on in.” she accepted the offered wine bottle from Mike as well as a kiss on the cheek before giving Ginny a tight hug. “The boys are at Blip’s parent’s house and the pot roast is almost done, so have a seat and relax.” 

After depositing the wine in the kitchen she returned to the living room where Blip, stoic as ever, sat on a sofa with his own glass while Ginny and Mike rested awkwardly on the other couch, a few inches of space between them. “Okay, I’ve got red and white. Choose your poison.” She said cheerfully. After filling both glasses with her guests requested drink, she took a sip of her own dark red and took a seat on the opposite end of Blip’s couch. “So,” she attempted to sound casual as she crossed her legs. “How are things with you guys? I mean, not you guys as in together, because you’re not. Together, I mean. Just, y’know, the both of you, since you’re both here. On your own. Although you shared a car, which is great because it helps the environment.  So. Right. How are you each individually?” she rambled, finally shutting herself up with another sip from the glass and giving a grin. 

 **Ginny** Ginny had to admit she was glad Evelyn was the last on the list of people to tell about them, at least for the foreseeable future. She could really do without the anxiety. She didn’t even know why she was nervous, really, because it was 99.9% certain that Evelyn would be ecstatic. Of course, Evelyn ecstatic about something that involved Ginny’s love life was pretty sure to be anxiety inducing. Just like the dress Ginny had worn to the Nike party, Evelyn’s enthusiasm for Ginny and Mike being a thing would probably outweigh Ginny’s own. Evelyn would want to hear details and probably make all these plans, and want to double date and shit. 

She snorted at Mike’s offer to bail. “Yeah, right, she might literally tie us down if we tried to bail,” she said. It took Ginny biting her lip to not just blurt it out when Evelyn opened the door, but she was pretty sure it might look like bad manners. Not to mention she was hoping for some alcohol to make things go smoother. Blip’s stony greeting didn’t help much because Ginny was used to him reining Evelyn in, or at least being a bit of a buffer.

She couldn’t even sneak away to play the Wii with the boys when the ‘grown up talk’ got to be too much for her. Tonight, Ginny had to be a grown up. 

“Yeah, because the idea of you two together is ridiculous,” Blip added. “Like, literally, crazy talk.” Seemed like he was still getting used to the idea. Ginny resisted the urge to stick her tongue out at him and instead did the adult thing and ignored him.

Ginny was pretty sure that Evelyn knew. If Blip hadn’t told her, the fact that they asked to meet up with them for dinner was probably pretty telling on its own. Why else would they want to have this private dinner between the four of them? “Well,” Ginny said. “I’m doing fine-“

“You might as well just tell her, because this…this was her being subtle,” Blip interrupted and Ginny winced. “That’s what this whole evening about isn’t it? To let Evelyn know that you two are fucking? So why not just come out and say it, so we can get it out of the way, hm?”

 **Evelyn** The moment her husband opened his mouth to speak, Evelyn’s face immediately fell to a grimace. Things between them were still tense as ever. They’d managed to return to sleeping in the same bed, but their attempts to work out their issues hadn’t gone well, so things were still awkward and gloomy. A majority of the time they just tried to avoid each other while they tried to work their own issues out. She sent Blip a glare as he lashed out at their two best friends. “Do you have to be an ass about everything?” she snapped, putting a smile back on as she turned to their guests again and asked eagerly, “Is it true? Are you guys really a thing?” 

At Ginny’s confirmation Evelyn let out a small squeal and set her wine glass down on the coffee table. “I knew it! I knew it! I knew it would happen! I could tell between the looks you guys share and the tension and with all due respect Mike, you are beyond obvious- ohhh! I just knew this would happen eventually!” she said gleefully, moving to give both Mike and Ginny each a tight hug. “Congratulations! I’m so happy for you!” Pausing at arm’s length from Ginny, she whispered, “I expect every detail at some point. Every. Single. Detail,” before returning to her seat and letting out a happy sigh. “God, that’s so great.”

“Thanks Evie.” Mike sent her a gentle smile, trying to follow Evelyn’s lead and ignore Blip’s outburst. “But uh, just so it’s clear, we’re not exactly telling people-”

“Oh, absolutely. My lips are sealed.” She promised, making the motion to zip her lips. “Of course it’s a secret. I won’t say a word.” Ginny was her best friend and whether or not her husband was currently acting like it, Mike was his. She would never do anything to harm either of them. They were family. “Okay, I know you guys probably don’t want to answer a million questions and I swear not to go crazy, but just indulge me for like two seconds,” Evelyn leaned forward, elation clear on her face as she bit her lip and questioned, “How did it happen?”

 **Ginny**     Ginny had wondered if they should try and wait to tell Evelyn until she and Blip had things a bit more together. For one, their polar opposite reactions would more than likely add even more friction. And secondly, Ginny didn’t want to rub the fact that she and Mike were pretty happy together in her friend’s face when things weren’t so great in her marriage. It said a lot about how awesome a person Evelyn was that she could still be genuinely happy for them. Ginny also hoped that it might mean that, even if they were having troubles, their marriage wasn’t in trouble. 

Ginny nodded her head and smiled her confirmation that yes, she and Mike were together. She couldn’t help but look at Mike and snicker when Evelyn called him obvious, though it did make her wonder a little just the way it had made her wonder when Amelia hadn’t seemed surprised. Mike having feelings for her had never seemed to be even a thought in Ginny’s head until that night outside Boardner’s and even then, she had thought it had just been a momentary lapse in judgement or something between them. 

“Thanks Ev,” Ginny said, genuinely grateful to have someone in their lives actually be happy for them. She hugged her friend back tightly. She would have liked to tell her that details were never going to happen, but she knew Evelyn better than that. It was easier to just give her what she wanted. Ginny turned to smile at Mike, to share this thing that felt like a triumph. 

“Is that really what you’re asking about?” Blip grumbled. Again, Ginny ignored him.

“Uh, well, Mike visited me at the hospital and it just sort of happened?” she offered. Pretty sure that wasn’t enough details for the woman who wanted to know if she had felt Mike’s beard on her face after that night at Boardner’s. 

“Yeah, and clearly you guys know how to play it safe, starting this all at the hospital. There’s no way this is gonna get out,” Blip added, sarcasm dripping from his words. 

 **Mike** “Blip, back off.” Mike said sharply. “We know you’re worried, but we’re adults and we made this choice. Deal with it.” He was tired of listening to his friend’s bitching. 

“Ignore him. He’s in a perpetual bad mood because for once, things aren’t going his way.” Evelyn said with a roll of her eyes. “Eventually he’ll realize he has to be a grown up and get over himself.” Focusing back on the topic at hand, she smiled at Ginny. While she definitely wanted more details than the younger woman gave, it was clearly not the best time to pry. “For what it’s worth, I think you guys are perfect for each other.” She offered. “I mean, I know it’s not the most conventional thing, but it makes sense. You have a common interest, clearly the chemistry is there, and even though Mike is a little older he acts like a wild teenager most of the time anyway.”

Mike snorted. “Thanks Evie.” He said dryly.

“I’m just saying, you guys balance each other out.” She defended, holding up her hands innocently. “And despite the combined look of terror and misery on Ginny’s face, I can see that she’s happy.” Evelyn gestured to the space between Mike and Ginny and waved her hand impatiently. “Oh for god’s sake, we’re not members of the clergy, hold hands or something! You’re a new couple; enjoy the honeymoon phase of being stupid and blissful.” 

 **Ginny**     Blip grumbled but didn't say anything more, sinking into his seat and focusing on his beer. Ginny shifted uncomfortably at hearing the squabble between Evelyn and Blip. It wasn't the first time she had been witness to some unhappiness between the two, but it was the first time that she knew there was something really wrong going on behind the scenes. Evelyn, of course, was perfect at putting her husband in his place and playing the perfect host.

 

Ginny found herself kind of surprised to hear someone say they made sense and it made her seriously wonder how others would see them if they knew they were in a romantic relationship. She was thrown back to Butch seeking her out and asking where Mike's head was because they were 'close'. Ginny always just assumed that people saw them as just pitcher and catcher; it was still weird for people to see them as more than that.

Even weirder was all the attention on Ginny's romantic relationship. She had expected it from Evelyn, of course, but that didn't make it any more comfortable for her. When Evelyn tried to cajole them into some physical contact, Ginny visibly recoiled away from Mike, shoving her good hand between her knees. "Uh, that's okay. We're not...we can save it for later," she said. "We need to practice the whole hiding it thing anyway. So, what's for dinner?"

 **Mike**       Evelyn knew her best friend- once you got to know Ginny, she was extremely easy to read and even if she wasn’t, it was a specialty of Evelyn’s anyway. She could tell the poor girl was beyond uncomfortable with the situation at hand and damn near looked ready to sacrifice herself as the meal just to get out of continuing with the evening. It was largely Blip’s fault, she surmised. If he wasn’t being such an ass about the whole thing it wouldn’t be nearly as awful. Instead of calling her husband out on it though, Evelyn vowed to make the rest of the night as smooth sailing as possible and not let it drag out any longer than necessary. She and Ginny could talk details later.

“We’re having pot roast. Which, speaking of, I need to check on.” She announced, answering Ginny’s question and rising from the sofa. “Blip, come mix the salad for me.” When her husband began to protest, she gave him a sharp look. “Please.” Smiling politely at Ginny and Mike, she added, “We’ll be just a minute. You guys stay put.” Before heading off to the kitchen with Blip reluctantly following behind. 

Checking over his shoulder to make sure the other couple was out of hearing range, Mike let out a small sigh. “Taco truck isn’t sounding so bad, is it?” he muttered softly. Turning to look back at Ginny, he offered a sympathetic smile. “I know you’re miserable and feel super uncomfortable and you’ll probably say no,” he began, “but the ever-present offer for a hug is still on the table.”

 **Mike** Ginny nearly rolled her eyes at herself when Evelyn repeated they were having pot roast, which had been one of the first things Evelyn said when they arrived. She must really have her head unscrewed if she forgot what they were eating. "Take your time," she offered to Evelyn when the other woman excused herself and drug Blip with her. It was nice to have the reprieve and she definitely recognized that Evelyn was doing it for her and she fell back against the couch cushions with a sigh.

"Well, when you put it like that, it just seems mean to say no," Ginny replied, even as she leaned into his arms. Her hand didn't move from where it was wedged between her knees, but she did turn her face up into his neck, sighing contently against his skin. Her eyes fluttered shut as she concentrated on his warmth and his smell, both which seemed to be soothing to her right now. "I'm glad she knows and that she's happy for us, but it's just weird...I've never liked the attention. You thrive off of it, but it's never really been something I've enjoyed. I don't like the attagirls and the expectations.  I just wanted to play ball and I just want to live my life." She thought about those words, living her life, and reminded herself that deciding to be with Mike was a part of that. Ginny pulled her hand from between her knees so she could tilt Mike's face towards hers and kiss him softly.

 **Mike**       Mike shrugged. “Hey, I’ll take pity cuddling.” He said easily, because it was the truth. His nerves calmed significantly at the feeling of her body against his. There was something about physically touching that put him instantly at ease, like knowing that they were within such close proximity meant nothing too bad could happen. “She’ll calm down,” he said confidently, referring to Evelyn. “She just needs a little bit of time to get it all out of her system. She’s still in shock mode.” Which was fair, since they’d sprung it on her. Granted, she’d suspected for a while, but getting legitimate confirmation was another thing all together. “Gin, the only expectations that matter in our relationships are yours and mine. That’s it.” Mike assured her, cupping her cheek in his hand as he accepting and returned the kiss. “I have to say, every expectation I’ve had so far has been met and exceeded,” he murmured with a smile. “Any complaints on your end?”

Hidden just behind the archway to the kitchen, Evelyn held a hand to her mouth and tried not to cry. “Look at them, Blip,” She said softly, eyes on the other couple in complete awe. “They’re crazy about each other. This isn’t just screwing around. They’re in love.”

 **Ginny**     Ginny smiled against his skin, shaking her head lightly. "It's not pity cuddling," she admitted because she wanted the touch as much as he did probably. He was right about Evelyn, of course, and Ginny tried to let that sink in. Although there was one major difference. "Easy for you to say because you probably won't get the third degree once you're alone with her. When I first joined the team, she actually asked me if I've seen your 'junk'. Imagine what she's going to ask now that she knows I actually have seen it."

Ginny tilted her head back slightly so she could easily see his face as he spoke about having no complaints. She was a little surprised he would say that, because she felt like he might be right to have some issues with how Ginny was. The way she had run the other day, the way she obviously made him feel as if she would reject his offers of touch. He had his reasons, but that's why she was surprised by his words. But then Mike wasn't perfect either and that didn't matter because she took the good and the bad. Because both made Mike the person she wanted to be with. "No," she said with a smile on her own mouth. "None."

Blip was less interested in spying on Mike and Ginny than his wife, but it was difficult for him to look away from the obvious affection between the two. "Maybe," he grumbled reluctantly. There was definitely some intense feelings between them, even if he wasn't sure that it was love. But even love couldn’t overcome everything and this thing between Ginny and Mike was going to be harder than any other relationship they could have had just because of who they were, because of who Ginny was. "Love isn't everything, though, Evelyn." He turned away from the display then, heading into the kitchen to grab another beer.

 **Mike**       “Are you kidding? It’s Evelyn. I’ll definitely get the third degree once I’m alone with her.” Mike argued. “Except I’ll get the added threats of castration if I ever break your heart or upset you.” At least Ginny would only be pressed for gossip. Mike would be subjected to an hour long list of rules and punishments for breaking them. “Hey, at least you can personally vouch for how impressive it really is.” he smirked, leaning in to nip playfully at her ear. “And how well I put it to use. Over and over and over again.”

 

To hear that she had no complaints came as a surprise. They’d been together little more than a week and already she managed to have one of her best friends pissed at her, a meeting from hell with her agent, and a shit ton of anxiety over the entire thing, not to mention the constant pressure from Mike to move in. So the fact that she still genuinely seemed to be happy was a shock to him. He wasn’t going to argue with her though. Instead, he pressed another kiss to her lips and continued to smile. “Damn, I love you, Baker.”

Meanwhile, Evelyn managed to control her urge to snap a photo of her friends and instead followed her husband further into the kitchen. “You’re right. Love isn’t everything. A relationship also takes a lot of hard work and trust in the other person. So much trust that you’re willing to ignore everyone who tells you it’s a bad idea.” She replied. “Do you know what my mother said when we first got together? She said it was a bad idea. That you were a ballplayer and that if somehow you didn’t wind up cheating on me with all the girls following your career, you’d be too busy trying to make it big and you’d leave me behind.” She recalled. “When I told her I was in love with you, she said, ‘Evelyn Simone, you have lost your damn mind.’ But I asked her to trust me, and she did. And you know what? You proved her wrong. And the night before we got married she apologized to me for judging you so quickly, which I appreciated. Because deep down I think we both knew if I ever had to choose between the two of you, I’d pick you every time.” Ev shrugged. “I’m not saying you have to approve, Blip. But you damn well owe it to both Ginny and Mike to at least give them a chance.”

 **Ginny** Ginny giggled a little. "I don't feel bad for you, at all," she told him before growing a little more serious. "But I am appreciative of all you're putting up with." To be with me, was left unsaid, but Mike had gone through a lot in the short time they had been together just to be with her. Blip, Amelia, Evelyn and even the shit that Ginny put him through. She raised a brow at his next words. "Oh, is that what you think is going to happen? I'm going to just sing your praises about your sexual prowess?" The way she said it was enough to get him to think that she might be doing just the opposite.

Even though they were sitting in their friend's living room, Mike's expression of his feelings brought a smile to her lips. It was almost a hardship not to say it back to him but even if she was certain of that feeling, she didn't want to say it for the first time in her friend's living room. Instead she smiled at him, dimples and all, and stroked her fingers through his beard. She let them linger over his mouth, tracing his lips, as if feeling the words he had just said. She wished there was something she could say back but instead she slid her fingers back through his beard, leaving his mouth available for her to press her lips against again.

Blip had always known that Evelyn was an amazing woman, a special woman. She had many special powers but one of them was her ability to put things in perspective. He stared at her in amazement at her story. It wasn't that he was surprised by her mother not being a fan, that he had known for a long time, but her absolute faith in them, that still seemed unshakeable, left him stunned. "Evie," he said, stepping towards her and pressing a kiss to her forehead. There was a lot he wanted to say to her, mostly about them, but that would have to wait. Instead he grabbed a couple more beers from the fridge and headed back into the living room. "Beer?" he asked the couple snuggled up on his couch. It was a peace offering.

Ginny pulled her mouth away from Mike but left her body pressed into his arms. It was comfortable there and now that she was pressed to him, she didn't want to leave, even if it meant Blip's uncertain gaze and Evelyn's tiny squeal. She nodded her head and took one of the beers from Blip, who then went back to his chair. "So, are you two planning on telling the rest of the team or is this just on complete lockdown?"

 **Mike**       The seriousness of Ginny’s statement again took Mike by surprise. The fact that she was so thankful that he put up with her was almost laughable since that was just about the only thing he wanted to do- to take care of her and be around her and make her happy. It was the only thing he’d been able to think about for months; that and trying to get over knowing it would never happen. But then, somehow, they wound up here and he couldn’t have been more thankful. “Can’t really be considered putting up with it since it’s all I really wanted.” He replied truthfully. “But if you wanted to make it up to me, I still haven’t had anyone answer the ad I put out for a roommate…” He was joking, for the most part, but he still couldn’t help but tease her about it.

Continuing with the teasing, he grinned widely at her stony expression when the subject returned to their sex life. “You sure as hell haven’t been complaining lately.” Mike recalled fondly. “If you’re having trouble remembering though, I’m more than happy to remind you once we get home.” It took every ounce of willpower in him not to deepen their kiss, only the knowledge that catching them making out on the sofa wasn’t likely to brighten Blip’s mood keeping him from throwing caution to the wind. 

Evelyn had been proud of her husband countless times in life, but watching him extend an olive branch to his friends was definitely at the top of the list. This time when she joined him in the living room after refilling her drink, she sat directly next to him and placed a hand on his knee. They still had a lot to talk about on their own, but this was a starting point and for the first time in a while, she felt optimistic. 

Mike did his best to keep from smiling when Ginny remained in his embrace, as well as Blip’s handout. He took the bottle gratefully and offered his thanks before answering his question. “Uh, I think it’s probably gonna be pretty quiet for now.” He said, looking to Ginny for confirmation. “I mean, we talked about it with Amelia and she agrees it’s best. Plus, y’know, we kinda want to just enjoy it before it gets too crazy.” And then, feeling as if he needed to make it clear, he quickly added, “We’ll keep it strictly professional at work. Nothing any different than usual.”

 **Ginny** Ginny huffed in annoyance at him. "Oh, sure, I'll keep my ear out to see if anyone wouldn't mind a crotchedy old man who they might have to help get out of the tub when his back spasms as a roommate," she retorted, shaking her head at him. She didn't know why he was complaining. It wasn't as if she had actually stayed at her own place since she got out of the hospital. She kept telling herself she would, but it just never ended up happening. There really was nothing for her at the Omni, not right now when she couldn't really even go to Petco. Now that the season was over, though, she might spend more time at the clubhouse with the rehab staff and using the gym. The amount of press would be much lower and Oscar had already said it was okay.

Ginny was glad to see that, in the span of maybe ten minutes some of the distance between Blip and Evelyn had closed, and she smiled at them as she watched them sit closely together. The evening was quickly turning from something of a disaster to something really nice and she found herself tucking her beer between her and Mike's thighs so she could slid her hand into his free one. She nodded her head as Mike spoke, just to show she was on the same page as he was.

"You guys will definitely have to be careful," Blip said, carefully, trying not to make his words sound critical, just cautious. "I think there's even more attention on you than ever, Ginny. Even I started to get annoyed with the amount of questions the press asked about you."

"Yeah, we kind of went over some ground rules and we'll basically be keeping things between us at Mike's place," Ginny said, wanting to assure her friend that they were being careful, wanting him to worry as little as possible.

"Are you going to be living with Mike?" Blip asked and Ginny chuckled at getting that question again.

"No. No, I'm still going to be at the Omni. I'll probably go back tomorrow or the next day now that I'm actually allowed at the clubhouse," she said.

 **Mike**       “Again, I haven’t heard one damn word from you about my issues in the tub.” He pointed out. “As a matter of fact, that’s something we should consider after we get home.” Aside from his obvious desire to get her off in the spacious bathtub, the jets would help his irritated muscles. They could even eat in there. Yeah, he was definitely making that happen. The minute her hand slid into his, Mike intertwined their fingers almost without realizing what was happening. At this point it was like a reflex, but he sure as hell wasn’t complaining. 

Instead of the typical response he would give when someone told him something he already knew, Mike gave a serious nod to Blip’s warning. The other man was clearly trying not to come off as a jackass, so Mike was more than willing to do the same. “Are you kidding? I’m debating bribing Shrek to have another Vegas wedding just so we can hear about something else,” he announced, not entirely joking when Blip brought up the media frenzy around Ginny. “Hell, just for added measure, if we all pool our money, we might be able to convince Vorhees to be the one that marries him.” It was true Mike was annoyed by the media, but more than that he knew it was driving Ginny crazy. 

He did his best to keep his face neutral when Ginny mentioned returning to the Omni soon. The thought of not seeing her as much really blew, especially knowing they wouldn’t be allowed to act like a couple unless they were alone and in a place they knew wasn’t being watched. He supposed if that was the case he’d just be forced to figure out a way to sneak up to her room regularly. It would probably be weird to ask for Amelia’s advice on the subject, but he’d do so if necessary. Overall, he really just didn’t want to quit seeing Ginny as much. He’d just gotten her all to himself, finally, and now she wanted to leave. The whole thing sucked.

 **Ginny** Blip approved of the fact that they weren't going to be living together, even if he could tell that it rankled Mike a little. But they were already moving pretty fast. "

"It seems like a lot of trouble to go through- all this sneaking around and having to pretend you guys aren't together. I don't get why you guys don't just wait. Wait until you're more established, Gin, or until you guys aren't teammates," Blip said, obviously implying when Mike hung it up.

Ginny sat up, nearly dislodging the beer between her and Mike. Her brow was creased into a frown and her fingers flexed in Mike's grasp. She was upset, maybe even a little angry. "Why should I have to wait? Why should everyone else get to be with who they lo-care about and I should have to wait until it's more convenient? Yeah, it sucks that people wouldn't understand, that people would make it such a story that it would be a distraction from everything and for everyone, and it sucks that we can only be together, be a couple, when no one can see us. It's complicated and it sucks, but I want to be with Mike and I don't think that I should have to wait until someone else decides it's okay. This is my relationship and I get to decide when it's okay and I've decided that it's okay now."

 **Mike** Mike was prepared to give several possible reactions at Blip’s question, ranging from another monologue about his feelings to simply telling the other man to fuck off, but stilled when instead Ginny let loose. She was beyond aggravated now, she was downright pissed and clearly had been thinking about this for quite a while because the words seemed to fly out of her mouth without thought. He felt like the Grinch seeing his heart grow three sizes in his chest. This girl was very quickly becoming his entire world, and knowing her claims to be all in weren’t just talk was nothing short of epic.

Mike knew it was completely inappropriate and really not the right place, but he couldn’t hold back from stamping a firm, quick kiss to Ginny’s lips when she settled back into her seat. “So damn in love with you,” he whispered, looking at her in complete adoration before turning his focus back to Blip.

“We’ll be careful,” Mike promised his friend. “I know you’re worried about what could happen, but we’re gonna be smart about this and… man, it’s not just a fling, okay? I swear, I tried to back off because I know the risks for her, but it’s just… it didn’t work.” He said, allowing the truth to finally be exposed. “We’re crazy about each other and we’re in this.” Mike didn’t want to go into all the details about the plans for the future they’d discussed, nor did he imagine Ginny wanted such information shared, but he want to make sure Blip understood the seriousness of the situation. 

Despite knowing her husband was trying his best to be reasonable and merely asking the question to be practical and quell his own curiosity, Evelyn couldn’t help but beam at her friend’s outburst. This was the Ginny Baker people across the nation adored: passionate about what she loved, and willing to walk through fire for it. The girl deserved to be happy, and if Mike Lawson gave that to her, then so be it. And clearly he did, if the idea of waiting to be with him brought out this much of a reaction. “You go girl,” She said softly, eyes filled with pride as she stared at her best friend. And then, finding her eyes filling with tears at Mike’s own speech, she let out a quiet, “Damn it Lawson,” before being forced to dab at her eyes with a napkin.

 **Ginny** Ginny smiled when Mike pressed a kiss to her mouth and she was definitely more at ease with the displays of affection than she had been walking into the Saunders that evening. Considering how much she had just ranted about this relationship and the feelings of her own she had just exposed, it made sense that she might be a little more okay with the action. Her gaze dropped from his when he said he loved her in front of their friends, though she still smiled. The words were still so new and even her family barely ever said it to each other, so having it said in front of others was still a little strange to her.

She appreciated him backing her up and that it still seemed easy for him to accept the complications. Sure, everything was still new and they really hadn't had to test anything but it was nice to hear the words. "We are," Ginny agreed. "I am." She didn't want Blip to think Mike was speaking for her and she wanted to give the reassurance to Mike.

Blip sat back, looking a little surprised but also a bit more at ease, like he realized they had thought a lot about what they were going to go through and what it would take. "Well, who am I to stand in the way of true love," he said, half teasing them. Ginny choked on her gulp of beer and had to take her hand away from Mike's to pound herself on the chest.

 

"Yeah, well, are we done talking about this now?" she asked once she recovered.


	13. Moving On

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which bathtubbing. Also, the long awaited discussion of Rachel and Trevor. And more sex, because they're insatiable apparently, but somehow still manage to argue.  
>   
>  _At last I can see life has been patiently waiting for me_  
>  And I know there's no guarantees, but I'm not alone  
> There comes a time in everyone's life  
> When all you can see are the years passing by  
> And I have made up my mind that those days are gone  
> -Moving On, Rascal Flatts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Adult things. Dirty things. What else is new?
> 
> Spoilers: Pitch season 1, especially 1x10.
> 
> Follow us on tumblr  
> trenchcoatstories  
> *This is from like two weeks ago, as crazy as that is to me. Just y'all wait though. Some of the shit coming up is Top. Trust me. -Lo

**Mike.** After Blip’s emotional breakthrough the evening only went uphill. The tension, while not entirely gone, was at an all time low and the rest of dinner was spent sharing stories from the past, discussing Ginny’s injury, and listening to the latest havoc wreck on society by the Sanders twins. By the time Mike’s car finally pulled back into the garage, both passengers were far from as keyed up and emotionally wrecked as they expected.

“That,” Mike announced as they walked into the house, “could have been a lot worse.” Considering how everything turned out, he was pretty happy with how the night ended.

“However, I am still wondering what my chances are of talking you into a bath and something stronger than beer.” Despite their luck for the evening’s conclusion, the idea of relaxing with Ginny in a tub of hot water and taking the edge off with a little nightcap was incredibly appealing.

“I won’t even try to seduce you,” he promised, “At least not at first. Can’t promise I won’t feel you up though.”

 **Ginny.**  Ginny actually felt kind of happy as she and Mike headed back to his place and it wasn't even because they were leaving, but because the night had actually gone well, especially considering how it had started out. It had almost felt like it was when the four of them used to hang out, except now Mike's hand rested on her thigh through dinner and Ginny giggled when she brushed crouton out of Mike's beard.

"Yeah, it was really nice," she agreed, shrugging off her jacket by the door and then pulling her hair up into a messy bun. She snorted at his promises.

"I'll join you, old man, but only if you stop telling lies. I would never expect you to behave while I'm naked. That would be unrealistic expectations." She kicked off her little black boots. "You want to get the drinks and I'll meet you upstairs?"

She waited until he agreed before she headed up the stairs to start the bath. She stripped out of her pants first before carefully taking off her shirt and replacing her sling with the wet sling that kept her arm protected while in the bath. She had just carefully settled herself in the tub when Mike showed up.

"What'd you bring?" she asked, unabashedly watching him undress even if the tender way he did it indicated he was in some pain and it was far from the sexiest thing she had ever seen from him. "You're definitely not getting laid, looking like that."

 **Mike.**  Mike did a mental fist pump at her willingness to go with his plan. He really didn’t want to be the old man that had to take a bath alone for his broken body. Now it would be way more fun and far less pathetic. Giving Ginny a nod, he headed into the kitchen and after a moment of deliberation grabbed a bottle of Jack Daniels before making his way upstairs. He couldn’t help but grin at the sight of her naked in his bathtub. She was beautiful in every sense of the word, and he sincerely doubted it ever being any different.

Holding up the bottle for her to approve, he offered, “I didn’t bother with glasses. This isn’t the prom.” Before setting it on the edge of the tub and beginning to strip.

He did his best not to grimace as he removed his clothes, but his back had been bugging him all day and by now the knees weren’t helping matters much. Barely paying attention to his half-hard dick (she was naked and he wasn’t dead, so it was going to happen) Mike settled in behind her with his hands at her hips and let out a small groan when his body was encased by hot water.

“Don’t be cruel. It’s been a long day.” He breathed as his muscles began to relax. “Give me a few minutes and I’ll have you wet enough to fill another tub.”

Leaning his head down to kiss the base of her neck, he slid his hands across her belly several times before letting them wander higher. He was completely obsessed with her tits, it wasn’t a secret, and he was far from ashamed to admit so.

 **Ginny.**  Ginny was careful not to lean back into him, even as he settled behind her and his hands wandered along her front.

"Hard to be turned on when I'm afraid of hurting you," she retorted, though her back arched a little as his hands found her breasts and she bit into her lip.

It was harder to not be turned on when he was touching her. Her good hand went to grip the edge of the tub so she could hold herself up while she tilted her head back to kiss him. Ginny pressed soft kisses to his mouth that slowly turned into deep, lingering presses of her mouth. Yeah, she could make out with him for forever, but the position she was in wasn't the most comfortable when she didn't want to press her body weight against him. After a final soft kiss, she pulled away and sat back up.

She picked up the bottle he brought, opening it and sucking down a mouthful before holding it out behind her for him to take. It burned but Ginny had gotten used to the harsh burn of that kind of alcohol a long time ago. Just another step to fitting in with men. She supposed she could say she liked the taste but she liked the warmth it brought to her belly more.

After handing off the bottle, Ginny carefully maneuvered her body so she was facing him, her bottom nestled between his thighs and her feet pressed against the bottom of the tub on either side of his thighs. It kept them close enough that it was easy for her to slide her hand over his chest, but now she could see him as they talked.

"So, is that what couples do?" she asked, the question speaking to her inexperience with relationships. "Dinner with couple friends?" She raised her gaze from Mike's chest to his face. "Is that the kind of thing you did with Rachel?"  

 **Mike.**  It was sort of funny how something as simple as kissing could feel so intimate and personal. Mike had kissed more than his fair share of women in his days, but save for a few exceptions, most of it was just physical- like the sex. But with Ginny, it was more. There was emotion included, and it was more than just physical pleasure. Kissing her brought comfort and a sense of security. It felt right and safe and content.

“I’m already a broken mess, Gin. You’re not gonna do any more damage.” he promised between kisses. “Once I retire I’ll go under the knife and come out a brand new man.”

He knew without question a double knee replacement was in the cards. If possible they’d probably also do some work on his joints or muscles or whatever else they came up with. He wasn’t entirely sure yet, but the point was he’d have to be fixed after his career ended so he didn’t wind up in a wheelchair at forty.

Mike took a drink from the bottle before answering her question. Apparently they were going straight for the jugular since they already broke out the hard liquor.

“I guess?” he finally responded, his answer coming out as a question. “Dinner with Blip and Ev is kinda different though. With Rachel, it was always more like dinner parties where you had to dress up and talk about stupid stuff: whose vacation house was being renovated, the quality of the appetizers being served, and a lot of money talk.” He listed. “It was pretty stuck up and just… annoying. And it was boring as hell.”

He let out a little groan and leaned his head back at the memory. “Oh my god, all people wanted to talk about was themselves and brag about shit. And it was always these uppity do-gooders. I always wanted to ditch and just go to a bar for a beer, y’know? Which we never did, because the night always lasted like a thousand hours.”

Raising his head back to the girl in his lap, Mike gave a little pout. “It sucked. Being a real adult sucks. Please tell me we won’t ever do that. Because I’m cool with having practically no friends and eating pizza naked on the couch every night.”

 **Ginny.**  Ginny pulled away from him when he talked about going under the knife, her lips turning downward. Yeah, she knew he wasn't in good shape and they could often joke about it, but his words didn't seem like a joke and she didn't appreciate them. But what else could she do with those words?

"Yeah, but I'm expecting at least two more years out of you, Lawson," she said. "So we still have to protect the merchandise to some extent."

She supposed her words were meant to come out lighthearted, but she was pretty sure they didn't. All in all that bit of conversation had her reaching for the bottle again, taking a long pull from it.

Yeah, those kind of dinner parties sounded about as appealing to Ginny as they seemed to be to Mike, which is not at all.

"Pretty sure Ev forces Blip through those kind of dinners too, with the WAGs," Ginny said, thinking of the times Ev would complain about all the work she had to do when they hosted, even though they both knew she really loved playing hostess. She laughed a little at Mike's pout.

"Pretty sure coupley dinner parties aren't something we need to worry about."

Because, of course, nobody would know they were a couple. Logically, Ginny figured they wouldn't always be a secret couple, but her words made it clear that that happening was not on the horizon in her mind. Ginny slouched a little so she could rest against the side of the tub, good arm tucked under her head.

"Did you and Rachel have anything in common? I mean, what did you do together that you both enjoyed?"

Ginny understood that people in relationships sometimes did things they didn't exactly enjoy just to make the other person happy, but from what she knew of Rachel and Mike, they always seemed to be on different pages.

 **Mike.**  Mike could see the distress on Ginny’s face as she talked, and it was understandable. He’d been in his body all his life, so the news of what was to come wasn’t anything shocking. But Ginny hadn’t known him very long, and even then knowing him as intimately as they were now was different. This was all new to her, and it made sense that she was a little freaked out, because it was a lot.

“Hey, I’m fine.” He assured her, his tone clear and confident as he spoke. “Does it hurt like hell sometimes? Yeah, but I can deal with it. I’m not gonna break, Gin. We’ll kick ass the next two seasons and I’ll bitch and moan the whole way. So nothing out of the usual.” Mike grinned, reaching forward to take another kiss.

“I am fine.” He repeated firmly. “Nothing’s gonna happen, okay? I’m not going anywhere.”

Telling stories of his ex-wife to his new girlfriend wasn’t exactly appealing to Mike. Well, technically she was his girlfriend, but it seemed like more than that. Girlfriend worked as a title for now though, he supposed. Regardless, telling Ginny about his time with Rachel felt weird, almost like he was insulting Ginny by bragging about his ex. She deserved the truth though, and he’d promised to tell her whatever she wanted to know. He wasn’t going to break that.

“We had a lot of the same values.” Mike said finally. “We both were focused on our careers and willing to fight tooth and nail to get where we wanted and stay there. We have a similar sense of humor, and our taste in food and music is pretty alike. Different political views, different religious beliefs- she’s Catholic and I’m kind of ambivalent about the whole thing.” Mike recalled with a shake of his head.

“I don’t know, we watched movies or whatever sometimes, but a lot of what we did was social. We both got big in our careers around the same time, so we were always at parties and events. She was usually trying to make connections in the business and I was enjoying being in the spotlight.” He said honestly. By now his brow was creased as he thought back, frowning a little.

“You know, the more time passes since the divorce, the more I look back and really think about it… it makes sense that we didn’t work out.” He finally confessed, his face somewhat unreadable as he contemplated everything.

 **Ginny.**  It was a difficult conversation to have because Ginny knew the realities of the game and what it did to player's bodies, particularly when it came to catchers, but this was also a man who was her mentor, not to mention a person she cared a hell of a lot for. She wanted him to stay in the game for herself, for the level of game he brought, but also for him, for the love he had for the game. There wasn't much more she could say about it, so she just gave him a weak smile and let the topic drop.

She listened carefully as Mike spoke about Rachel, and she was kind of surprised not to feel jealous. Maybe it was because the way he talked about it was like it was another lifetime, one that was over. Maybe it was because of the way he told her he loved her and how easy it was to believe him. Whatever the reason, it didn't bug her as much as she thought it might to hear about what had brought Mike and Rachel together. She wasn't entirely sure how he was feeling about the whole thing though, and she lifted her head from the side of the tub so she could use her good arm to reach out to him, running her hand soothingly over his chest.

"You like ambitious women," she said with a light smile, though it certainly seemed true. Her gaze was contemplative as she let her hand slide up to his neck, stroking the back of it and the damp curls of hair there.

"Was a lot of it happy?" It was a pretty direct, pointed question, she knew, but there was more than just curiosity behind it. She sighed a little.

"My parents...looking back, I don't think they had much happiness together. I don't know why they stayed, why she stayed."

 **Mike.** It was hard to think back on his time with Rachel because truthfully, to Mike it did feel like a different life. He was a completely different person than who he was now, which helped him look at things from an outside point of view.

“Yeah, we were happy.” he finally answered with a small nod, certain of his response.

“For a long time she was my best friend. Like I said, even though we argued about stuff, for a while our goals were the same. I think what really caused it all to fall apart is that for her, she always had her entire life planned out: married by 25, successful career, kids by 30, have the whole picture. For me it never really went past baseball. That was all I’d ever thought about, was getting into the majors. Finding a girl was just a bonus.” He conceded.

“But I never flat out said no to her plan, I just figured we’d adjust. After a while, she decided that wasn’t enough.” Mike shrugged. “And even though I didn’t realize it at the time, she was right. She did a lot for her career, but when it came to anything else, she sacrificed a lot because I wanted to wait and just be a baseball player. And that wasn’t fair to her.”

“For a long time we were happy.” Mike said truthfully. “But after a while she wanted more than I was willing to give. At the end of the day I wasn’t willing to put her before the game. I said I was and I thought I was, but looking back I can see that I wasn’t.” he frowned.

“I can understand now why she left, because what we had wasn’t 50/50. It wasn’t fair. And it wasn’t what a marriage is supposed to be.” He shrugged again. “Can’t really blame her for wanting out of that.”

 **Ginny.** Ginny could definitely relate to the idea of not seeing beyond baseball, because that had been her for the past ten years of her life, really. She hadn't been looking for or expecting to find a partner when she got called up to the Show either. Her life was supposed to be all about baseball. What she didn't agree with was that Mike was just a bonus, some kind of tacked on add on. She couldn't say that baseball or he would come 'first', but that they were both important parts of her life. Baseball was what she wanted to do with her life and Mike was who she wanted to do it with, with him beside her, whether he was on the field or not. And truthfully having him on the field with her made baseball better. She smiled, a small, private smile at her thoughts.

She did have one other question for Mike though. 

"Do you think you could have made it work with her? Had you really tried again?"

She dropped her hand from his neck to his knee underneath the water, just letting it rest there and trace lightly over the scars.

"It sounds like you learned a lot about what went wrong. Maybe...maybe you two could have worked it out."

 **Mike.**  It took Mike a while to answer her question. Of course he’d thought about it before, but he’d never actually said the words out loud. And debating in your head was completely different than putting the words out in the world for good.

“Disregarding the whole ‘if we’d done this differently’ scenario and just tried to fix what went wrong at this point in life… I think we could have made it work.” He said finally with a small nod.

“Since things ended with her guy and she came back, we could have done it. Got back to where we were. My career’s almost over. She’d be pregnant soon and get what she always wanted. We’d be the picture of success.” He frowned.

“But wouldn’t be real. Because while it would’ve worked, it would never be the way it was before. We’re not the same people we were then. After that night we had together, I realized it.” Mike looked up at her.

“There was a lot of pent up emotions and a lot of vindication, but… I’m not in love with her anymore. When we first got married I would look at her and feel happy and excited and alive, like I was ready take on the world with her. And I don’t feel that now.”

The look in his eyes was almost cathartic, as if finally admitting it out loud made it all real. He smiled.

“It’s over.” 

 **Ginny.**  It was a little harder for Ginny to hear the 'what ifs' from Mike when it came to his relationship with Rachel. It was kind of like a glimpse into what his life might have gone like if they hadn't decided to give things a try between them. It was difficult to hear that he thought he would have knocked Rachel up when they were talking about the idea of their own rugrats just a few days ago. But she recognized it wasn't really about her at all and so she kept her face neutral as she watched him speak about this 'what if'. It was like Mike needed to say the words, as if saying them was helping him, and she wanted that for him. When he smiled, she returned it with a small one of her own, letting her hand find his and squeezing it lightly. 

 **Mike.**  He paused for a minute and then finally spoke again.

“You wanna know something weird?” he asked, not even giving her a chance to respond before continuing, “When I look at you now? Like, when I wake up and see you or when you walk in a room or even if we’re just laying on the couch and I look down and see you next to me?” Mike sighed in frustration as he tried to explain it properly.

“Looking back, with Rachel it was like a camp fire, okay? I lit up and felt a spark. With you, it’s like… the entire world is up in flames. Like I almost can’t breathe sometimes,” Then, realizing how awful that sounded, he quickly added, “Not in a bad way though! You kind of take my breath away. Fuck, this whole speech is shit.” He sighed, finally finding her gaze, completely letting down his walls.

“Ginny, the life I see with you is so much more than what I ever had with her because for the first time in my life I’m with someone who gets it and that makes it real.”

 **Ginny.**  Ginny couldn't help but giggle at him a little.

"Not your best work," she agreed. She let him finish before she dropped her gaze to their hands, where she was tracing her fingers along his callouses under the water. She was quiet for a moment, clearly thinking something through.

"Do you think it's because this new and exciting and forbidden? I mean, isn't that what new relationships can be like, like they're everything and happily ever after? But that doesn't last. For most people, that doesn't last."

It was a bit fatalistic of an outlook, really, and it wasn't even really reflective of how she felt about him. But he was the one that had been in a relationship that was supposed to have a happy ever after, one that hadn't been that after all.

"It seems like maybe you did have that feeling with Rachel, at first. How can you be certain it won't all go away with us too?"

 **Mike.**  “Worst speech ever.” He agreed, taking a long sip from the bottle before moving on.

He thought back to his talk with Al just before the trade, about Chicago versus San Diego. He thought about the night at Rachel’s house when she told him all he liked was the chase. And he thought about Ginny. Every single thing she was saying was completely valid. Why should she believe this would work out in the long run? What made them different?

“With Rachel I was excited, but I kind of just figured it would all work out somehow.” He said finally, finding her gaze and holding it as he continued to speak. “At that point in my life, I wasn’t willing to do what it took to make it work. With you, I can see it. I can see our future together. And I’m willing to work for it.”  
  
“I don’t believe in happily ever after. It’s perfection and it’s not realistic. But I do believe in happy.” Mike linked their fingers, voice a bit hoarse as he spoke from his heart. “I think as long as we’re willing to do the work, we can have our own version of imperfect and legitimately happy.”

 **Ginny.**  Ginny hadn't seen a lot of relationships that had put in the hard work, relationships that lasted. Her parents' marriage had lasted to his death, only because their conservative roots didn't allow for divorce. She didn't know much about all of their relationships but she could easily list people who were in their life who had gone into a happily ever after to end up with nothing or a broken heart. Look at Amelia, Oscar, Mike. They had all gotten married but ended up divorced.

Ginny let her gaze rise when he seemed to want it, because she wanted him to know that she heard him, that she was listening. When he was done speaking, she looked down again before pulling their linked hands to her chest, forcing him to lean forward a little. It brought their faces within inches of each other and she let her gaze search his.

"Well, you know I'm not afraid of putting in the work," she said softly, staring into his eyes for several more minutes before she closed the last few inches between them and kissed him firmly and simply. 

 **Mike**. It probably should have been weird just staring at each other in complete silence for minutes on end, but Mike could have stayed in that tub looking at Ginny forever. It was crazy how much he could see in just her eyes- the saying about them being the window to your soul made sense now. He felt like he could stare at her for hours and never get tired.

His arms slipped around her torso as they kissed, hugging her body to his and appreciating the simplicity of the moment.

“Love,” he muttered mindlessly, smiling as they continued to make out like teenagers wiggling around in the bathtub.

“Okay, I just spilled my guts about my ex.” Mike finally murmured, making no effort to change their position as he spoke, content to remain exactly as they were. “Your turn. I want to know about Davis.”

 **Ginny.**  Ginny giggled a little when Mike continued to kiss her, pulling her against his chest. She slipped her feet away from his hips and slid her legs behind her so they were resting atop his. She did her best to be careful not to hurt him but she also wasn't paying as much attention to that as she was to his mouth against her. She sighed a little when he brought up Trevor, though it wasn't entirely surprising.

"He was a mistake," she said. She shrugged her shoulders, dropping her head to rest against his chest.

"The only boys...men I ever really meet are ballplayers, but Trevor seemed like the best of both worlds because he was getting out. At least, that's what he told me. He was gonna stop playing ball and go to college, but then he ended up getting called up to the Show and it was just over. It had to be." She sighed again, tilting her head up to look at him.

"What do you want to know about him?"

 **Mike.**  It was sort of funny that no matter how bad his body ached, a naked Ginny Baker always seemed to erase any thoughts of pain. Watching her adjust her body on top of his, Mike barely noticed the tenderness of his muscles. His hands slid down to rest on her ass as she spoke, though he focused completely on her face.

“Do you think if he hadn’t got the call you would’ve stayed together?” he questioned.

His fingers began to trail up and down her back mindlessly. There was one question in particular he’d been wondering about more than anything else, but he didn’t want her to feel like she was being interrogated. That was sort of part of the deal though. Talking about exes was never fun, but it was good that they were having the discussion. Finally speaking again, Mike hoped it was clear that more than anything his question was purely out of curiosity.

“Why’d you break your no ballplayers rule for him?”

 **Ginny.**  There was no scenario that Ginny saw that she might have stayed with Trevor and she shook her head as Mike's question.

"No," Ginny said immediately and with certainty.

At first, she wasn't going to say anything more and she was silent for a long moment. He deserved to know more, though; he deserved more openness from her.

"I never thought we would last. I wasn't ever particularly serious about him." Trevor, on the hand, had definitely caught feelings. If Ginny hadn't realized that back then, their meeting this season had definitely made it clear.

"I didn't!" Ginny insisted. She breathed out slowly. She knew that Mike hadn't meant it as criticism, but it had always been presented to her that way before.

"I mean, not really, because he wasn't supposed to stick around. Him playing ball had a time limit, so I didn't really see him as a ballplayer. He wasn't like you and me. He didn't breathe baseball."

At the time, that had seemed to be part of Trevor's appeal. The rest of her life was all about baseball but things between her and Trevor hadn't been. It had been a reprieve from baseball. Pretty much the only one she had.

"It was kind of nice to escape it for a little while." Ginny took the bottle of Jack Daniels from him and took a gulp of it, spilling a little into the bathwater. "Truthfully, I was lonely. And Trevor seemed like the answer at the time."

 **Mike.** Mike nodded. He completely understood wanting to have a companion of some sort. A good portion of his relationships had been purely out of the desire to have someone next to him; the comfort of another human body. And while that sort of thing was great when you were pissed off and wanted no emotional ties, it was always better when you actually cared. As lame as it sounded (and Mike would never say so out loud) making love was always far superior to a mindless fuck.

Despite her constant assurances that she was in this relationship for the long haul, at Ginny’s mention of the relationship with Trevor having a time limit Mike still couldn’t help but check,

“Good thing you’re done with that sort of deal, right?” And then, to lighten the situation, he added, “I mean, think of all the babies that wouldn’t be born.”

He leaned in and stole another kiss from her lips, tasting the alcohol on her tongue and smiling a little.

“I am very quickly leaving any notion of sobriety behind.” Mike murmured. “Not that I’m complaining.”

 **Ginny.** The conversation took a funny turn in Ginny's mind. They had just spent twenty minutes talking about Rachel; Mike, on the other hand, had two questions about Trevor before he was done and ready to move on. And of course moving on to Mike meant making it about him, about them really.

"Only time limit with you is waiting for you to kick the bucket," she retorted, huffing laughter against his wet skin. "And that shouldn't be too long now."

She decided to leave the baby comment alone, sinking into his kiss instead because that seemed more appealing. She quirked a brow up as he told her he was heading towards drunk, before hiking her legs up so she was straddling him and her good arm went around his shoulder.

"The better to take advantage of you." She wiggled her eyebrows at him suggestively, giggling and pressing their mouths together for several minutes before pulling back, forehead resting against his. "Is that really all you wanted to know about Trevor?"

 **Mike.**  Mike laughed. “Oh, so that’s what this is about. You just want to get with me before I knock off so you’ll get all my money.” He teased. “I’m like Hugh Heffner, right? With the big house and young girl. I see your angle, Baker.”

He shifted slightly when she moved, allowing his hard on to press against her body.

“If that’s really your plan, I could care less about Trevor.”

He murmured honestly, letting one hand drift down to squeeze her thigh while the other gripped her torso just near the side of her chest. If he was being truthful ,even if he did have more questions (which he did, though not many) he could barely remember the guy’s name at this point.

Tugging her bottom lip between his teeth, his quickly questioned, “We doing this here or moving?”

 **Ginny.**  Ginny snorted. "First of all, ew, Hugh Hefner is gross," she said, ticking off her points with her fingers.

"Second of all, like I need your money, old man. Do I need to remind you which of us has a Nike endorsement deal?"

She did have a good point. Granted, Mike probably still had a higher net worth than her, but with the minimalistic way she lived, she had more than enough to live off of for years to come and a nice nest egg. She was pretty proud of the money she made, though, because it meant she was self sufficient to an extent. She definitely didn't need Mike's money. She pulled away from him at his next question, raising an eyebrow.

"Really? You just called me a gold digger and now you think you're about to get laid?"

The grin on her mouth gave her away, though, as did the way she had slid her hand down his chest and under the water to grip at his cock. She bumped him against her clit and then shifted her hips, rubbing herself down the length of him.

 **Mike.**  “You know what, you’re right. It’s totally the other way around.” Mike grinned widely. “I’ve always wanted a Sugar Mama.”

He probably did have more money than her overall simply because he’d been playing longer, but he had no doubts that over her career she’d unquestionably blow him out of the water, as she should. Mike had no problem with that. Ginny had the talent and did the work; she more than deserved to be compensated for it.

“Hey, for the record, I know you’re not just with me for my money. It’s also because of my good looks and huge dick.” He teased, the smile on his face falling away as she began to touch him.

“Shit,” Mike lowered his head to her chest, one hand rising to tug at her nipple while his tongue circled the other.

“Don’t care about the mess. Pick a spot and we’ll go.” He said quickly.

 **Ginny.** Ginny laughed at the idea of being his Sugar Mama.

"What could I get you that you haven't already spoiled yourself with?" she asked him.

He had the house, multiple cars, not to mention car dealerships. Hell, he probably had a timeshare or two, if not his own vacation homes. She smirked at his ideas for why else she would be with him.

"Pretty sure I could find bigger. Saw Buster Posey in compression shorts after the All-Star game. He's definitely packing."

Ginny had definitely fangirled to Mike about pitching to Buster Posey during the All Stars game, so he knew what a fan of him she was. Thoughts of Posey flew out of her mind when Mike took to her breasts and she dropped her head back, moaning.

She shifted her hips again. She didn't want to wait, didn't want to take the time to move them. Still holding him with one hand, Ginny guided his cock inside of her and slowly slid down on him. She was still tight around him but it didn't hurt to take him anymore; she just felt so full. Her fingers slid down a little to curl gently around his balls, smoothing over them, as she let herself adjust to him inside of her.

 **Mike.**  “Oh, I can think of all kinds of things you can give me.” Mike cocked en eyebrow and grinned devilishly. “Over and over and over again.” His smile faltered slightly when she mentioned Posey.

“He’s a jackass,” Mike dismissed instantly, his face heating slightly at the thought of Ginny liking another catcher. “And I’ve seen him in the locker room before. Absolutely nothing to brag about. Plus, I’m pretty sure he’s a fascist.”

With no warning, Ginny began to lower herself onto his shaft, making him groan loudly.

“Buster Posey doesn’t stretch you like this, huh?” he murmured, biting and sucking greedily at her chest while his hand continued to pull on the other nipple.

His hips bucked up purely out of reaction when he felt her hand begin to fondle him. Twisting his bottom half a bit, Mike shifted around to help her adjust and find the right angle.

“That it?” he questioned, unable to keep from smirking when he hit a particular spot that made her gasp. 

 **Ginny.** "He is not!" Ginny protested his assessment of Posey.

He had been one of the nicer ones to her at the All-Star games, considering how she had gotten there. He had even called her a few days ago to check in with her about her injury. Mike wasn't going to ruin him for her. Though she supposed it was her own fault for bringing him up while they were naked and doing this. She huffed out a laugh when he mentioned Posey, though it was cut off by her teeth sinking into her bottom lip.

"Dunno. Maybe I should ask if he would." Her head fell forward a little, tapping lightly against his, before she let herself watch him mouthing at her breast.

"Yeah," she muttered as lifted herself and sank back down, hard enough that she actually worried about his knees a little. The movement sent near waves of water over the sides of the tub, but she didn't let that stop her from setting up a rhythm.

"Mike, kiss me."

 **Mike.**  “Mhm, complete douchebag.” Mike argued.

His eyes went wide when she mentioned asking the other guy. He knew she was kidding, of course, and Posey would never go for it anyway since he was married, but it still hurt his ego a little.

“You’re gonna pay for that,” he murmured, biting each of her tits with just enough force for it to sting a little. Taking her silent cue that she was ready for things to pick up, Mike thrust up hard, slamming their bodies together and ignoring the water sloshing over the tub’s edge.

“Sure you wouldn’t rather kiss Posey?” he grunted, slipping a hand between them to fondle her clit roughly before taking her mouth in a bruising kiss.

 **Ginny.** Ginny made to giggle as he claimed she would pay for her Buster Posey comments, but she quickly cut them off by crying out when he bit at her nipples. It definitely hurt, but she liked it. A lot, if the clench of her pussy around him was any indication.

She withdrew her hand from between their bodies to give him more space to work but also so that she could press it against his shoulder and give her better leverage to pull herself up and slam herself down to meet his thrusts. Truthfully, Ginny wasn't particularly attracted to Posey, nor had she ever really thought about him in any way other than being an amazing catcher and clearly a really awesome person, but the idea that it got to Mike was kind of hot, especially when it made him react so aggressively.

"Mike!" she shouted his name as her rubbed hard against her clit. As their mouths met, she said his name again in a whimper. She used her hand on his shoulder to shove him back against the tub, following him back to meet his mouth with her teeth, her hips continuing their movements as she rode him hard.

 **Mike.** The sound of Ginny’s cries brought a smirk to Mike’s face. Obviously he would never try to really hurt her, but being rough was fun and clearly she was enjoying it. It also helped his ego a little, knowing it was him that was able to make her yell. Moving with her and stretching out a little, Mike helped her to lift herself almost completely off of him before dropping back down.

“’s fucking right. Say my name.” he ordered, giving one of her nipples a sharp pull with his free hand every time she followed directions. He continued to play with her clit for a few minutes before digging in with the heel of his hand and simultaneously jerking his dick as far as he could up into her body.

“Do it, Ginny. I want to hear you scream my name when you come.” He growled into her ear. “And you’d better be fucking loud or I’ll keep making you come until you do it right.”

 **Ginny.** Ginny whimpered when Mike lifted her so only the head of his dick was still inside of her. Her pussy clenched around mostly nothing and she felt so depressingly empty in that short moment. She groaned around gritted teeth when he slammed back into her, her pussy clenching again, this time around fullness, as if she were trying to keep him inside of her.

"Mikemikemike," she chanted, her body rocking against him. She cried out when his hand ground against her clit, fingers digging deep into the flesh of his shoulder. Her head nodded rapidly at his demands.

"Yes. Yes, Mike. Please. Wanna be good for you." Her body trembled as she rocked between his hand and his dick, chasing her pleasure. Even in the throes of pleasure, Ginny felt a little subconscious about being loud. She had never been one for screaming in bed, more prone to the gasps and soft cries, but it was what Mike wanted. Her whimpers and cries grew a little louder, though still hesitant, as if she wasn't sure she was doing it right. 

 **Mike.** He’d never been one that really needed his partner to be loud in bed, but with Ginny it was a selfish desire to hear her vocally express her pleasure. Mike wanted the satisfaction of knowing he drove her so crazy she couldn’t contain herself and had to release not just her orgasm, but her words as well. He felt her walls clench against him desperately, and for the umpteenth time since she’d made the decision he was thankful Ginny didn’t make him wear a condom.

“Good, baby. Good girl. Keep going,” he encouraged her, picking up his pace and pressing his thumb deep into her clit. He continued to thrust into her body, changing his angle ever so slightly every time until he found her g-spot again and grinned victoriously.

“Come on, baby. I want to feel you come for me. Let me hear you let go.” Mike spoke heavily against her ear, knowing with every word she was getting closer.

“Ginny, listen to me. I want you to come as hard as you can, all over my dick. You hear me? Right now, baby. Come right on me and scream through it. I’ve got you.”

 **Ginny.**  Ginny hadn't realized that coming on command was a real thing, at least not outside of porn, but there was literally nothing she could do to stop herself, even if she wanted to, when Mike assured her he had her.

She gritted her teeth at the first moment of her body feeling like it was about to explode, so the first moments of her scream were muffled before she dropped her head back and let it come out unhindered. She was hardly aware of the way her entire body spasmed around him from her inner walls to her thighs and even the way her arm curled around the back of his head and yanked it into her chest, trapping his face against his breasts. Her scream was short compared to the waves of pure pleasure and her spasming body, and it was at least a good ten minutes later before she even felt aware of what was going on again.

The first thing she saw was the underside of Mike's jaw and she could feel his hand rubbing low on her back. He was holding her against his chest in the water that she could now feel lapping at her skin, lukewarm at best now. She could feel the satisfying ache in all her limbs. It was just as satisfying to think about how the orgasm with him just kept getting better and better.

She shifted a little, stretching her legs out, but she didn't feel like moving from against his chest, so she didn't.

"Alright?" she asked, even though she felt like she should be the one being asked, considering she was pretty sure she had just blacked out from orgasming. He would be unbearable now, she was sure.

 **Mike.** It was clear Ginny didn’t have a ton of experience purely because of how shocked she always seemed when Mike was able to make her body do certain things. He loved it though, that he got to teach her so many new things and be the person she experienced it all with. Gave him a sense of pride that she was willing to be so vulnerable for him.

He wished he could have recorded the sound of her finally screaming; it felt like music to his ears, only better. No song he’d ever heard sounded that good- and he’d seen the Stones perform live. No comparison. It was her scream that finally got him to let go, his body arching against hers as he spilled himself inside. Mike made no complaints when she shoved his face against her chest, latching his mouth onto her nipple and sucking greedily as he continued to spurt deep into her body.

By the time he finished up he could see Ginny still heavy in the throws of her orgasm, so he simply pulled her against his chest and ran a hand along her lower back, his other fingers stroking gently between her legs as she rode out her high. He was actually pretty surprised at how long she went. Of course that was always the goal, but this was easily the longest Ginny had ever orgasmed for him and he was beyond proud for getting her off that hard.

Giving her a smile, he leaned forward and kissed her lips deeply as a response to her question, lapping his tongue against hers and sucking on her lips.

“I should ask you that,” he said with a chuckle. “I almost worried you weren’t coming back for a minute. You feel good?”

 **Ginny.**  Ginny let him kiss her but only for a little before she ducked her head, grinning with embarrassment at his question. She wasn't sure why she felt embarrassed but she did. Perhaps because she felt her reaction spoke to her inexperience. But again, she wasn't sure. She just knew she had to fight her limbs from squirming.

"Yeah," she said, nodding slightly against his chest.

She found his hand and pulled it against his chest, entwining their fingers. It only took a small tilt of her head for her to reach their clasped hands with her mouth and she pressed a kiss against the back of his hand, a show of gratitude or appreciation.

"Should probably get out soon. You're starting to prune." Of course she didn't move. She wanted to make sure her limbs would actually work properly and she didn't do anything even more embarrassing like her legs give out underneath her.

 **Mike.** Her blush was actually cute as hell, but Mike knew better than to say so at this point. She was embarrassed, which was okay, though he was definitely going to work on changing that.

He nodded at her notion to get out of the tub- the water was far from warm at this point and he was more than ready to lay down. It was obvious Ginny was completely spent though, so after opening the drain for the water to release, he carefully climbed out of the bathtub and wrapped a towel around his waist before reaching for the pitcher’s tiny body and lifting her into his arms with a small grunt.

“I’m fine,” he promised, ignoring her protests and silencing her with a firm kiss as he walked into the bedroom. “I’m not that old, dammit, and I wouldn’t do it if I knew it would do any damage. Plus you weigh practically nothing.”

It would be a lie to say the action didn’t put a strain on his muscles, but it wasn’t anything bad and he wasn’t going to drop her. Finally setting Ginny down on the mattress he handed her the towel in case she felt like drying off, though Mike was past caring about damp sheets at this point, climbing under the covers and holding up the blankets for her to crawl in next to him.

 **Ginny.** Ginny flailed a little and grumbled when he picked her up before wrapping her arms around his neck lightly. She was in good shape but she wasn't as light as she looked since she was full of compact, heavy muscle, but it was a short trip to the bed.

"I could have walked myself," she assured him as she rolled out of his arms, even if she wasn't entirely sure it was true.

She sat up to wrap the towel around her hair, squeezing out the excess water, before she joined him underneath the covers, snuggling her wet body against his similarly slick one and tangling her legs between his.

"So I guess I should bring up Buster Posey more often, hm?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't even know what to say at this point. ~shrug  
> Give kudos and comments if you dare.  
> -Lo


	14. Talk Like That

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which a phone call turns into a booty call.
> 
>  _"Oh baby when you talk like that_  
>  You make a woman go mad  
> So be wise and keep on  
> Reading the signs of my body"  
> -Hips Don't Lie, Shakira

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Dirty talk, some solo touching.
> 
> Spoilers: General season one.
> 
> Follow us on tumblr  
> trenchcoatstories  
> 

 

 **Ginny**     Ginny wearily climbed into her bed, peeling back the covers that she hadn't slept in in nearly two weeks. Well, the housekeeping staff of the Omni had probably changed the sheets during that time, but still. It was the first time she was actually sleeping in her hotel room bed since she had gotten out of the hospital, since she and Mike decided to become a couple. Despite all his suggesting and cajoling, she was still firm that she wanted to stay at the Omni. Today was a good reminder of why. She had left Mike's that morning fairly early to meet up with the Padres' rehab staff and medical team, seeing where her arm was, what her pain levels were. Amelia had been there, dabbing makeup on a hickey that just peeked out from underneath her Nike t-shirt in the car. After that, the two had met up with Charlie Echolls, Amelia's rehab expert, who Ginny had really liked. The day had stretched longer with meetings with Evelyn about the restaurant she was working on and then ending with her and Amelia discussing all the options the day had given them. Ginny had just left Amelia in the hallway and when she looked over at the clock she saw it was nearly 10 PM.

It had been strange to not see Mike, though they had texted a little bit through the day, though less than Ginny might have if she hadn't had Amelia's hawk-like gaze on her the entire time as a reminder of all the things she wanted to say to him but couldn't. Now, though...Ginny reached for her phone and immediately pressed her speed dial for Mike. "Hey, old man. Didn't wake you, did I?" she teased before he could say anything. She barely gave any time for him to respond before she said what she had wanted to all day. "Miss you."

 **Mike** Today sucked. Despite his best efforts, Mike knew deep down he wasn’t going to be able to convince Ginny to stay with him all along. Didn’t change the fact that he hated it though. After a few last half-assed attempts to make her stay, he kissed her a final time before she got into the Uber and took off. After a quick shower, Mike headed to the Park early to get in a workout and attempt to relieve some of his pent up. Despite running one of his farthest distances on the treadmill and hitting the weights extra hard, he still felt anxious by the time he finished. He did his best to try and keep distracted, even going as far as talking to Livan for a little while at one point to discuss technique. It was weird though, that he felt so off his game just because of the knowledge that Ginny wasn’t going to be at his house when he got home. Sure it would be weird when he actually got home and it was empty, but he’d been working without her for several days and it hadn’t bothered him. The whole thing was bizarre as hell.

When he finally got home that night, Mike couldn’t help but sulk, wandering around the empty house and grumbling as he ate leftovers straight from the container he hadn’t bothered heating up. After flicking through the channels aimlessly for a while and offering rude comments on nearly every option, he finally fell into bed with a loud sigh. He was a mess because of a fucking girl. A girl he hadn’t even been with two weeks and had known less than a year. This whole thing was completely fucked up. He almost didn’t bother reaching for his phone when it rang a while later, but at the last minute he glanced over and realized who was calling. “Hey. You didn’t wake me, I’m just kinda laying here staring at the ceiling.” He said honestly, unable to keep a small smile from appearing just at the sound of her voice before letting out a small groan. “Fuck, Gin, you have no idea how much I miss you. Today was fucking awful.”

 **Ginny** Hearing Mike's voice on the other end of the phone had always been something that brought her comfort. It made her feel a little less alone, even after a day she spend surrounded by people. She relaxed a little more against her bed, punching a pillow until she could rest her injured arm atop it. "I might have some idea," she said, because she had missed him too. "Well, at least you didn't mope all day at home." She knew this because she had run into Livan at the clubhouse and he had mentioned seeing their grumpy grizzly of a captain working out. She had tried to catch Mike but he had already left by the time she had gotten a break. She sighed a little, letting her eyes fall shut. "Thought you were gonna rest up a bit after yesterday." They had both been sore after their bruising time in the tub.

 **Mike**  “Nope, you can’t even imagine it.” He deadpanned. “I missed you so much it was stupid. I saw you this morning and just knowing you weren’t gonna be here when I got home threw everything off.” He wasn’t trying to make her feel guilty. On the contrary, he wanted her to know how crazy he really was about her. “I didn’t mope at home, but I gave enough dirty looks that after a while people finally got the hint and left me alone. I said it was because I was tired and sore, which wasn’t a complete lie.” He continued. Mike’s thoughts quickly flashed to their previous night in the tub, making him groan. “Don’t talk about that. It’s mean.” He grumbled, shifting a bit as he held the phone to his ear. “Whatever, I’m old and grumpy. Alert the media. Tell me about your day.”

 **Ginny**     Ginny huffed out a laugh at his insistence that she couldn't relate to how much he missed her. "Okay," she said, the eye roll obvious in her voice. "Yeah, I heard from pretty much everyone what a ray of sunshine you were today." It was funny how she had missed him but saw many of their teammates who had been so happy to see her that it made her heart hurt. She couldn't help but be a tiny bit relieved that today didn't have to be the day to test how well they could fool their teammates, considering everything else she had going on that day. "My day? It was long. Met with the rehab staff and Charlie, that rehab specialist Amelia suggested. I really like him. He really knows what he's talking about and he seems to think I could be out of the brace in a month or so. I really want to be throwing some pitches by the end of the year. Al seems to think it's a good idea to get the one on one time with him, so I think I'm going to do it, work with him. We'll probably start some stuff by the end of this week. Oscar says it's fine to use the clubhouse, so I'll be there a lot."

 **Mike** “That’s so awesome Gin, seriously. It’s great.” He was genuinely happy that things were starting so well for her. Mike knew how hard the injury was on her not just physically, but mentally and hearing how motivated and positive she was about the process of recovering thrilled him. “Just let me know if you want to practice. I’ll probably be able to squeeze you in to my busy schedule.” He teased. “Just do me a favor and tell me if this guy touches anywhere other than your arm.” Mike wasn’t the most thrilled in the world about her therapist being a guy, but he trusted Ginny and knew it was all about her injury. Still, he had to say it. “You know, it’s so funny because I actually decided to start working out more, so I’ll be around the clubhouse too. Crazy coincidence.” he said casually. “Did you know there’s an excellent closet near the south exit that’s perfect for… praying?”

 **Ginny**     Ginny broke out in a smile at hearing Mike sharing her joy at the start of things. She knew it was all just speculation right now, but it was really the first time that she actually felt somewhat optimistic about her recovery. She would have thanked him but he instead decided to tease her, so she threw it back at him. "Actually, I already asked Livan to practice with me," she said. She rolled her eyes at his veiled threats. "He's a professional, Lawson. Not some pervy, old grump like you." Charlie was definitely attractive, not that Ginny would ever tell Mike that, but he was also a complete professional and she felt very safe in his hands. She chuckled at his 'coincidental' change of schedule. "I'll be doing private sessions with Charlie, just so you know. And there will be absolutely no shared closets. You're already in trouble for the hickeys Amelia had to cover up today."

 **Mike** “You’re a cruel woman, Baker. Complete ice.” He said sadly. It was clear she was kidding, but Livan was still an iffy subject for him. Despite being an arrogant asshole, Mike had grown to almost tolerate the Cuban catcher. He was slowly learning to temper his ego and learn from Mike, finally realizing he could actually improve his skills if he was willing to accept the help. “I never expected you to let me in your rehab.” He informed her. He was man enough to openly admit he wouldn’t be able to behave. Her denial of his offer to meet in the closet made him frown, though he did perk up at the mention of the marks he’d left. “We’re gonna have to figure something out, because I’m gonna go postal if I can’t touch you on a regular basis.” Mike informed her, completely serious. “I know we’re keeping it quiet, but I can’t not kiss you for days straight, Gin. I need you.”

 **Ginny** The fact that Mike Lawson seemed to need her as much as he did made her shiver a little. It was a powerful feeling. "It hasn't even been one whole day, Lawson. It's like you've never gone without before," she said with a teasing but suffering sigh. She stared at her good hand, wriggling her fingers but focusing on that fourth finger, growing more serious. "We have to be careful, Mike, and I feel like we're already failing at that." Her hand raised to her shoulder, rubbing over where the hickey was, probably still covered in makeup but there all the same. There only thing she could offer for what to do about it was a weary sounding, "We're just going to have to deal with the distance, sometimes."

 **Mike**   Mike ran a hand over his face and sighed tiredly. “I know,” he said quietly. And he did. He knew full well how this had to work. He knew it going in; now it was time to actually do it. Didn’t mean he didn’t hate it though. “I’m in love with you, you know,” He blurted suddenly after a few minutes of silence. “Completely in love with you. I think that’s why this is already so damn hard. And it’s only gonna get worse. But I’m here, Ginny. I’m in this- picket fences and the whole damn thing.” He said simply. “So… we’ll make it work.”

 **Ginny**     Ginny wished she could reach out to him, to assure him that she was here to, that she was in this with him. She wished she had the words he did to express himself but even if she was ready to say it, she wouldn't say it over the phone. "I know, baby," she said instead. "It's hard for me too. I just...I want to be in your arms. It's not just about what I want, though." She nibbled on her lip for a moment. "But I have you. And I'd much rather have you and it be hard than not have you." She pulled her good hand through her hair, breathing out noisily. "Amelia thinks maybe I should look into getting a place, somewhere with a little more security. I'm not sure yet. I still want to stay close to the park and it's going to be expensive, and I'm not even sure if they won't send me back to San Antonio, or if I'll even be able to play at all." She realized she had gone a little off topic so she veered herself back on. "But maybe if I did have a place, somewhere with a convenient second bedroom that my weary captain can crash, maybe you could stay over sometimes."

 **Mike**       Mike’s cheeks flushed a little when she called him baby. It was strange to have her be the one cooing and saying cute stuff to him, but he definitely liked it. He ran a hand through his hair and let out a breath. He hated his house more than ever for not being close enough to the fucking stadium. “If they send you down it’ll only be for a few weeks to get you back in the swing of things.” He said rationally. “You’re not going anywhere, Ginny. And I’m saying that as your teammate and your captain, not your boyfriend.” Which was true. Even if they weren’t sleeping together or planning a goddamn future, he would tell her the exact same thing. Focusing back on the topic of her living situation, Mike let out a small growl of frustration. “We need to just get a place near Petco and say we’re fucking roommates.” He muttered mindlessly, barely even processing the words as they came out of his mouth, already focused on his next thought.

 **Ginny**     Ginny smiled as his reassurance, even if she wasn't completely sure he could separate boyfriend and captain in that way. "Thanks, Cap," she said, genuinely. She could hear the frustration in the way he huffed and puffed over the phone, but his suggestion was met with her own surprised laughter. "Like that wouldn't look weird. Mike Lawson, San Diego's Most Eligible Bachelor, leaving his expensive glass house to bunk down with his female teammate in some nondescript downtown high rise. Pretty sure the headlines could write themselves on that one." A night or two crashing at her place they could maybe get away with, but the scenario he proposed just wasn't practical.

 **Mike** “What? Oh, yeah.” It took him a minute to even realize what she was talking about, he was already thinking about ways to sneak up to her room. “I guess we’ll just have to go to plan B and elope to Vegas.” Mike said sarcastically. He shuffled around on the mattress, feeling restless and agitated. “This bed sucks without you in it.” He complained, fully aware of how childish he was being and not caring in the slightest. “Let me get an Uber and sneak up to your room. I can’t sleep without your snoring.”

 **Ginny** Ginny snorted. "I'll meet you there," she returned, just as sarcastically, though she was definitely softened by his next words. "At least your bed smells like me. This bed just smells like fabric softener." She thought about the old Padres t-shirt of his that she tucked away in her bag. She would definitely be putting that on later. It'd be nice to be surrounded by his scent. She gasped at what he said next, appalled. "I don't snore!" She pouted, picking at a stray string on the comforter. "Why should I let you come over if you're going to be mean?" She wanted him there, but she still wasn't sure it was a good idea. In fact, she knew it was a bad one.

 **Mike**       “Fabric softener sucks. You’re all over these sheets and it’s driving me nuts.” He replied, turning his body and taking a sniff of one of the pillows, causing him to moan a little. “You do snore. Every night. But it’s cute. I love it.” Mike promised with a small laugh. He sobered at bit when her tone softened. “Nobody knows where you’ve been the past few days right?” he asked after a moment of thinking. “If I took an Uber and kept my head down, I probably wouldn’t get noticed. But if I did, what’s wrong with a captain checking up on his rookie?” Mike knew it was a bad idea even as he said it. It was dangerous and risky and if Amelia found out she’d have his ass, but he couldn’t bring himself to care. “I could make sure everything you own is covered in me.” He said quietly.

 **Ginny**     Mike's moan set every nerve in Ginny's body on fire and she pressed a hand over her mouth to hide her gasp. If he realized he was turning her on, there would be no stopping him. Luckily, he was also a bit of an asshole and that helped temper the arousal. "You are such a liar," she told him, confidently. Nobody else had ever told her she snored and that included an entire bus of men who would take any excuse to mock her. "Checking up on me at 10:30 at night? Like I can't tuck myself in?" she asked, skeptically, pointing out the very obvious flaw in his plan. She almost didn't care because of his next words and then time she didn't have time to hide the quick inhale she made. She crossed her legs so she could rub her thighs together.  "God, I want you."

 **Mike** “I’m recording you snoring one night.” He decided, leaving no room for argument. “I’ll prove it to you, Baker.” He bit back a groan at her last words. Fuck, she was horny and he was hard as a rock just listening to her. “I need to taste you,” he nearly whined. “God, Ginny, I want to feel you explode all over my fucking face.” He dropped his head back against the pillows and tried to calm himself down with little success. “Just this one time,” Mike pleaded, not caring how desperate he sounded through his heavy breathing. “I can be there in twenty minutes and have you falling apart in ten,”

 **Ginny** Ginny whimpered and her thighs fell open. She couldn't help herself with the way Mike sounded over the phone. She cupped herself through her lycra leggings and bucked up into her palm. "You're my captain. You're supposed to help me make good choices," she said, panting a little. "This doesn't feel like a good choice." Although it did feel really good, the way she could practically feel his warm breath on her face, the way she imagined it was his hand she was grinding against. "I want your tongue inside me. Wanna-Wanna sit on your face."

 **Mike**       “Does going to bed frustrated and horny seem like a good choice?” he rebutted. “I’m Baker’s captain on the field. In bed, I’m the one that can make Ginny scream.” There was a difference and she had to realize that. “Fuck, are you touching yourself?” he huffed, hearing the hitch in her breathing and instantly realizing what was about to happen. “Don’t you fucking dare, Gin. I want that pussy soaking wet just for me. I wanna drink it all. Don't you dare spill a drop, Ginny. It's mine.” After another few seconds of agonizing, he pushed himself up from the bed and grabbed his keys. “I’m coming over right now unless you tell me to stop.” He informed her, his tone clipped and serious. 

 **Ginny**     Ginny made a negative noise, though she didn't think her horny, hard captain showing up to her hotel room was a good choice either. Mike's words, though, pretty much made it impossible for her to say no to him. Her hips jerked as he spoke and she gasped out as pleasure spiked through her. Vaguely she could hear him moving and the jingle of his keys. "Mike," she whimpered, though she sounded uncertain. Logically, she knew this was a very, very bad idea, but her desire overrode it. "Wear your seatbelt and stop at all stop signs and lights." She backed her hand off a little, just rubbing her fingers lightly against her clothed clit. "Be careful."


	15. Gravity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the booty call goes horribly wrong. Angst ahead.
> 
>  _"You hold me without touch_  
>  You keep me without chains  
> I never wanted anything so much than to drown in your love  
> And not feel your reign"  
> -Gravity, Sara Bareilles

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Angst. Some very brief, mild sexual content.
> 
> Spoilers: General season one.
> 
> Follow us on tumblr  
> trenchcoatstories  
> 

**Mike**       It took everything in him not to break every traffic law known to man. And even then, he still broke several. It was ridiculous, completely ridiculous, and Mike was damn well aware of this fact. They’d been apart less than a day and already he was sneaking over to see Ginny when they hadn’t been together even two weeks. Who did that? It was insane. It was stupid. It was happening and he really didn’t give a damn. The sound of her voice over the phone was bad enough, but hearing her make noises that he should have been causing was too much for Mike to handle. He was only a man, after all: a mere mortal fallen under the spell of one Ginny Baker and her many powers. Yeah, he was officially screwed.

He parked at Petco just as a precaution and did his best not to sprint across the pavement to the hotel doors. Mike made sure to keep his head down and avoid eye contact, keeping a quick but not unusually fast pace as he walked to avoid being noticed. Even though the hotel was far less busy at nearly 11pm, he was doing his best to keep a low profile. After waiting behind a large pillar until he was able to dart into an empty elevator, he let out a small sigh of relief and sent a quick text to Ginny. 1 MIN. Hopefully that was vague enough, he thought with a twinge of annoyance. Couldn’t even text his girlfriend normally, for shit’s sake. He understood not sending dirty pictures, or even pictures at all, but texting was damn near ridiculous. Still, he didn’t want to stress Ginny out by making a big deal of it. Maybe he’d say something to Amelia the next time he saw her. None of that mattered now though, because he was less than sixty seconds away from seeing his girl and making her completely fall apart. He’d managed to calm his raging boner slightly in the drive over, but now that he was only seconds away from Ginny the erection was back and he was ready to show her just what she was giving up by not staying at his glass house.

Checking both ways as he stepped out of the elevator and finding the hallway miraculously empty, Mike upped his pace to a silent jog until he arrived at Ginny’s door. He’d barely raised his fist to knock when the door flew open; a single hand popped out and grabbed his shirt to pull him inside. Mike didn’t waste a single second, his mouth surging to hers like they were magnets, his tongue slipping between her lips as he pushed her back up against the closed door, hands quickly reaching under her ass to lift her while letting out a groan of pleasure. Contact. Finally.

 **Ginny**     Ginny would have been more confused about the dial tone in her ear, if she didn't know Mike. He was on his way, even if he hadn't said so. The thought of him rushing over just to see her was a pleasurable thought, even if it was somewhat muted by worry. After what had happened with her father, traffic safety was important to her. Still, it was just a brief thought she had as she withdrew her hand from between her legs. She was already damp there and she couldn't wait to have his face buried in her pussy. That idea how her reaching back to rub herself again. She barely touched herself before she snatched her hand away again, dragging the hand through her hair and groaning. It was going to feel like forever before he got there.

When finally, finally, she got the one minute warning, Ginny got up and lingered by the door, listening carefully for footsteps in the otherwise quiet hallway. Ginny didn't even wait for him to know before she opened the door and pulled him in. Words weren't needed because she didn't invite him over for words. Their mouths met and once he lifted her, she wrapped her legs around his hips, melding their groins together as well. She groaned into his mouth at the pure bliss of feeling him, already hard, against her. "Missed you," she told him again. She rolled her hips against his. "M'so wet for you. Wanna show you."

No sooner had she said the words but a sharp knock sounded against the door at her back. She froze for a second, mouth frozen against his. "Ignore them," she said in a low voice, though she had a sickening feeling that she recognized the knock. Sure enough a moment later, Amelia's voice sounded on the other side.

"Ginny, let me in. Now," Amelia said in a firm voice, though Ginny could tell that it was low enough that it wouldn't disrupt the occupants of the other rooms. Slowly, Ginny dropped her legs from around Mike's hips.

"I don't think you're as sneaky as you think you are," she told Mike, pulling away from him and adjusting her clothes. She glanced pointed at Mike's crotch. "Good?"

 **Mike** Mike loved that they were past the point of words. Despite still being in the early stages of their relationship, they already had a solid foundation to build from, which meant a lot of the awkwardness was gone. They didn’t have to exchange pleasantries and try to set the mood- he was able to walk in, grab her ass, and fuck her senseless with the only words voiced those of demands and pleas. His hips shifted against hers, restlessly attempting to create friction between their bodies as their mouths clashed together. “Fuck, Ginny,” he groaned against her lips. “Show me. Wanna taste you so bad.” His body froze alongside hers when the sudden knock came, his tongue still half in her mouth. Mike gave a single nod at her suggestion, more than fine with ignoring whoever it was in the hallway; however he felt his body stiffen at the familiar steely tone of Ginny’s agent.

“No, no! Tell her to come back!” he whined when she pulled away from his hold, reaching his arms out after her retreating body almost pathetically. “I just need ten minutes! Fifteen! Really, what’s an hour in the grand scheme of life?” he pleaded desperately, continuing to ramble for no other reason than to stall at this point. The last thing he wanted right now was a lecture and his mind (among other things) was not in the mood for talking. He could have sworn nobody saw him. Then again he also could have sworn Amelia hadn’t been around, so apparently his promises meant nothing at the moment. “Fuck, fuck, fuck,” Mike did his best to think of Skip making out with his mom, Blip’s toenails, anything to calm his erection, only managing to sail at half mast. Letting out a frustrated breath, he dropped onto Ginny’s sofa and pulled a pillow into his lap. Gesturing to the door, he reluctantly nodded, signaling for her to let the other woman in and bracing himself.

 **Ginny** "I'm not fucking you with my agent on the other side of the door," Ginny hissed at him. "And she won't leave until she's said her piece." She was torn between amusement and empathy at his pouting. She combed her hand through her hair before finally opening the door to let Amelia in.

Amelia was clearly not happy but it looked as if she was struggling to hide anger. "What do you two think you are doing?" She asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

Ginny knew it was a bad idea but her first reaction was defensiveness. "We're  in my hotel room. This is private."

"This is not what I meant and you know it. Sneaking your very well known captain into your hotel room at midnight for a booty call is NOT discrete."

 **Mike** Logically Mike knew she was right, but it still pissed him off. He was horny and Amelia was seriously cockblocking. He couldn’t help but roll his eyes at her demanding words. “Clearly not much anymore,” he muttered, too sexually frustrated to concentrate on being a rational adult. He reached for Ginny to join him on the sofa. If he couldn’t be with her the way he originally intended, he was at least touching her in some way, Amelia be damned. He needed the physical connection with his girl. 

“I kept my head down! And it’s eleven and night!” Mike argued. “The place is practically empty! I even took a separate elevator up here!” Then, realizing Amelia was directing most of her anger to Ginny, he continued, “Amelia, it was my idea. We were on the phone and things got- I needed to see her in person. Didn’t even give her chance to call me off, I just said I was on my way and hung up.”

 **Ginny** Ginny moved towards the couch when Mike reached out to her and caught his hand with hers, but she didn't join him on the couch. She had resolved to never leave Mike hanging when he reached out to her, or at least do her best to find ways to reach back. She recognized that she wasn't always open to him in that way and that maybe, perhaps it hurt him a little or made him feel a little unsure of their relationship. Considering how firm he was in his affections and words, she wanted to give him that back as much as was possible for her. Still, she felt the need to be standing when facing Amelia. If she joined Mike on the couch, she thought it might seem too much like Amelia was the angry mother chastising her teenage daughter and the boy who climbed a tree to get into her room.

"I saw you, Mike, which means someone else could have too!" Amelia retorted to Mike before turning back to Ginny. Ginny shook her head at Mike's next words, because the blame wasn't on him, or at least not all of it. She had wanted him here. She couldn't help the embarrassed smile at the way Mike almost gave a little too much detail, shooting him a look because Amelia didn't need to know the why. Although clearly she already kind of figured.

"No, that's not-" She cut herself off, taking a deep breath before speaking again. "I asked him to come. But that doesn't really matter. I'm an adult and I wanted to see my boyfriend. It's not like we were kissing in the lobby."

"Ginny, this is what I was talking about with optics," Amelia explained, a little more calm. "If you guys want to see each other, outside of Mike's place, places where the security isn't as tight, then we need to be a little more creative. I can book you a hotel room under a fake name, somewhere a little more out of the way-"

"What?!" Ginny asked incredulously before shaking her head hard. "No. That's just stupid and it'll make things even more complicated." Not to mention that meant she would have to actually book time through her agent to spend time with Mike.

"Ginny, being with Mike is complicated," Amelia pointed out. Ginny glanced at Mike, her features serious and considering. She pulled her hand away from his and balled it into a fist at her side, her jaw tilting upward.

"I know," she said, gazing directly into Amelia's eyes. After a short stretch of the locked gaze, she sat back on the couch, pressed thigh to thigh with Mike and slid her hand over his knee. The message, she hoped, was clear. I don't care. He's worth it. Find another way.

 **Mike**       It truly showed Mike’s growth as a person when he managed not to instantly start yelling at Amelia’s tangent. He felt like he was a kid again, getting yelled at for having a girl in his room. His mom had never been super strict and spent a lot of time absorbed in her own issues, but if nothing else she’d been hell bent on making sure she never became a grandmother too early. This was the part where things got complicated. Mike knew deep down Amelia was only trying to help, but the fact that things were getting this out of hand was a lot to deal with. He knew in the back of his head that Ginny would have been better off if he’d never pushed to start this thing, and couldn’t help but wish he had the balls to actually end things and let her live her life without him and his decrepit body making life more difficult. 

Focusing back to the present moment, he welcomed Ginny into the spot next to him and slid an arm around her shoulders, far past caring what Amelia saw at this point. “Alright, look, nobody knows Ginny’s been at my place the last few days, right?” he finally spoke up, trying to help settle the two women’s ongoing battle, “I’m her Captain, I came to check up on her since she’s out of the hospital. So what if it’s late? I’m Mike Lawson. I operate on my own time.” He reasoned.

“Okay, I have a suggestion. I’ve said it to Ginny before as a joke but I’m seriously bringing it up now.” Mike said after a moment. “I know it’s insane, but what if we really were roommates? She needs her own place and we could say I felt bad for her, so since we’re friends I offered to let her crash with me.” He explained. “She can complain to the media about all my bad habits and I’ll make sure to bring up how annoying it is to have her around.” He glanced at his girlfriend, dropping his voice as he added, “I know it’s soon and I know you’ve said no, and I promise this is the last time I’ll bring it up. But I think it’s a valid option you should at least consider.” He looked back to Amelia. “Like I said, I know it’s crazy but it would at least explain why we’re seen together so often.” Mike shrugged his shoulders and then raised his hands as if to insinuate his innocence. “That’s it.”

 **Ginny** Amelia inclined her head slightly to indicate that, to the best of her knowledge, Mike was right. She hadn't heard any whispers of the fact that Ginny had been staying with Mike the past two weeks or so. The media seemed to know she hadn't been staying at Omni but no one seemed to have thought she might be staying with Mike. The Sanders had come up a few times but a few reporters had camped out there and seen no sign of her. Ginny snorted at Mike Lawson's huge ego coming in to play.

She was a little less amused at his next suggestion and she immediately knew where his line of thought was going. They had talked about and though the talks hadn't been serious, Ginny had thought she was clear enough that she didn't want to move in. Yeah, a lot of it had to do with the Omni being so close to Petco, but there were other reasons. If he had actually talked to her about it, then she might have told him her other reasons for wanting to keep her own place. Instead he brought it up as some kind of media play with her agent, putting Amelia in the middle of where Ginny hadn't wanted her to be. Between them.

Okay, she did recognize that Amelia had already been between them, that she was, in some ways, overly involved in their relationship, but she and Mike had always seemed to be on the same side before. The way he suggested she consider the suggestion irked her even more, seeming condescending in her current state of irritation, and she withdrew her hand from his knee to cross over her chest. Her jaw clenched a little as she grit her teeth together. She struggled with how to react, part of her wanting to kick both Amelia and Mike out, part of her wanting Mike to stick around so she could yell at him, and some small part actually wanting him to stay so they could have a rational discussion.

She pushed herself up from the couch using her good hand and took several steps away from Amelia and Mike. Amelia, knowing her as well as she did, seemed to have recognized that now wasn't the best time for her to speak. Still, Ginny didn't know what to say and the awkwardness seemed to grow the longer the silence went on. "Okay," Amelia finally said. "It's late. I know you've had a long day, Ginny, so let's talk more tomorrow," Amelia said. Ginny turned to look at Amelia and nod, just once, before she turned away from them both again and exited the small living room area into the bedroom area.

Amelia turned to look at Mike, giving him a look that seemed to be a cross between 'you're in for it' and 'you knew what you were getting yourself into'. She didn't say anything, just turned on her heels and headed out of the hotel room.

Meanwhile, Ginny had disappeared into the bathroom to change into her pajamas, taking her time and hoping that everyone would be gone when she got out. Of course, instead, Mike would be sitting on her bed. Ginny stopped in the bathroom door way, seeming almost surprised that he was still there, but also still angry. Part of her didn't even want to deal with it tonight because she was exhausted and she felt it even more now. Instead of saying anything, she circled to the other side of the bed and jerked on the covers as if trying to get him to move before she pulled them up and slid underneath them, laying with her back to him.

 **Mike** He knew bringing up the living together thing was a risky move. The fact that they had already talked about it several times and Ginny said no hadn’t been lost on him. But Mike had genuinely believed she never thought about it beyond a joke. While of course he wanted her to stay with him because he loved her and wanted all the perks of having her around all the time- seeing her every day, sleeping in the same bed, cooking for her, showering together- he also, more than anything else, wanted her to be safe and happy. And despite how crazy it was, she continued to say he made her happy and sneaking around was an issue that diminished that. He thought his idea was good. It was logical, it was an easy fix, and everybody got what they wanted. And by bringing it up in front of Amelia, he could maybe get another opinion to back him up and help Ginny see it was something she could really consider.

He realized almost instantly he had made a mistake. When she pulled her body away from him, Mike’s eyes screwed shut, realizing he’d pissed her off. Great. He shared a brief look with Amelia, long enough for her to silent wish him luck on surviving beyond the next few hours, before she quickly exited and Ginny immediately froze him out. She barely spared him a glance as she marched to the bathroom, and Mike didn’t bother to call after her, knowing it would do no good at this point. He sure as hell wasn’t going home now, though. She could yell or scream or ignore him as much as she wanted, but after the events that just took place, not to mention the entire ordeal that had lead up to this mess, Mike wasn’t going anywhere. Plus, he refused to leave in the middle of what was apparently now a fight. He’d done it with Rachel too many times and it always made things worse. So he dropped down on to the bed and waited patiently for her to return, not surprised in the slightest when she silently got into bed and turned away. 

Mike counted to five in his head before stretching to lay down on top of the covers next to her, leaving a respectable distance and settling his hands against his stomach as he looked up at the ceiling. “I always thought the whole ‘don’t go to bed angry’ thing was stupid.” He finally said after a few minutes of silence. “But then it became a habit for Rachel and me. I guess we always figured it was better to cool off and then regroup. It never worked.” He confided. “Not that fixing it would have fixed everything else, but still. It might have made some of the really bad stuff a little less damaging.” Mike paused before continuing, “I decided a while back that if I ever had another serious relationship, I wouldn’t leave when I was pissed. I’d stay and fight and argue and be miserable until the issue was resolved, because that’s what you do when the person you’re fighting with is worth it: you stay. So.” He said, speaking out into the room, “I’m not leaving.” 

 **Ginny** Of course Mike had to be a stubborn ass who couldn't even let her be angry and ignore him. The tiny rational part of her that still existed in this moment recognized that it might be good he wasn't leaving when she was angry, that he wanted to stay and try to figure things out with her now. But mostly she was just pissed off. With an angry huff, she got out of the bed and walked away from it, running her hand through her hair. After a few seconds, she turned to face him, features screwed up in anger. "I don't want to move in with you," she said, lashing out. "Can't you see that?" She turned away from him once more so that she could pace in front of the bed, tugging irritably at her brace. Right now she really wanted to get a ball or a bat in her hand, or even get in front of a punching bag. Exercise had always allowed a release of so many emotions for her, but she was left without it and all she had was Mike to use. "You shouldn't have brought that up in front of her. That was a decision that should have been between you and me. It was like you were seeking her approval when it shouldn't even matter. It's my decision, really. Me. And you tried to use Amelia to push it on me."

 **Mike** The rational side of Mike knew that while yeah, Ginny was pissed about the incident, a majority of her angry was flaring up because of the injury and her building frustration. He knew how it was- he’d done it several times himself and lashed out at plenty of people because of it. He knew that. But it didn’t make things any easier, and it didn’t take away the sincerity of what she was saying. She was probably being more brazen about it than usual, but her feelings and thoughts were still valid. 

Mike knew his face fell when she finally put it out there bluntly: she did not want to live with him. That hurt. Even if she didn’t want to do the whole living together as a couple thing, he really had believed the roommate idea was something that could have happened if they hadn’t gotten together. But apparently she just didn’t want to be around him that much. It made sense, though. They’d just gotten started and he was pushing too hard and too fast. If were up to him, they’d probably already would’ve been halfway to Vegas, because… he knew. It was probably the craziest, most unbelievable thing that had ever happened in Mike Lawson’s life. Crazier than making it to the majors, crazier than Rachel cheating, crazier than anything- the fact that within three months of meeting a twenty-three year old rookie, he’d found the person he knew he would spend the rest of his life with. And it was insane because there wasn’t a significant moment where everything hit him all at once like in the movies. It was gradual; she snuck up on him. And then one day it all sort of clicked and he just knew. She was it. Didn’t make a damn lick of sense and there was no way to explain how he was so sure, but he just knew, more than anything else he’d ever thought true in all his years, he knew. She was it.

And now he was messing it all up. Every single one of her points was valid. He knew that. “I thought- you always took it as a joke.” He finally offered, sitting up with a small shake of his head. “I thought bringing it up like that would make it seem more like a real plan. But you’re right.” He conceded, giving her a sincere nod. “You are. I should have talked to you and made it clear I was being serious. I’m sorry.” Rising from the bed, Mike glanced down at the floor. “And I’m sorry I pressured you about it.” He said quietly. “I keep getting carried away. That’s my bad. I swear I’ll do my best to stop.”

 **Ginny** It was true that most of their conversations about moving in seemed to be made in jest, but Mike was also pretty transparent with his feelings for her. He loved her, he could barely go a day without whining about not seeing her; of course, he would want her to stay with him. Ginny had never doubted that he actually wanted her to move in and that he would have been incredibly pleased if she hadn't batted down the suggestive comments and agreed to move in with him. When Mike got up from the bed, Ginny couldn't stop the way she abruptly ended her pacing and looked at him warily, as if she were afraid he would approach. She didn't really want him touching her right now.

Of course, it was also difficult to maintain her anger when he looked like a kicked puppy and he spouted his apologies. She didn't doubt they were genuine, but they weren't exactly what she wanted right now. Still, she couldn't be angry at him when he was accepting that he had done wrong. The anger faded from her features, even though she still didn't look happy with him. When he brought up the pressure he had been putting on her, she looked down and away from him, rubbing her hand across her face. Pressure was something Ginny was no stranger to. She had it in her professional life in spades, from her teammates to management to the cute little girls in the stadiums. And that definitely bled into her personal life. The pressure of this relationship was another dimension and Ginny was more than willing to shoulder that because she cared about Mike and he made her happy (most of the time), but this situation also put a different kind of pressure on her.

It became apparent a moment later that Ginny rubbing a hand at her face was really her trying to hide the way her eyes were welling up. "When I first started dating Trevor, he said he was okay with keeping things quiet between us," she said. She turned her head even further away from Mike as if that would hide the way her voice wavered. "And then slowly it seemed to be something he couldn't handle and he put pressure on me to come to his games, to come out as a couple, even though I told him over and over what the would mean for me with my team. But he kept pressuring me until finally, I caved and I went to a game and things happened just like I said they would. I told myself after that that I would never let another man pressure me into something I wasn't ready for." She turned to look at him and there were twin tear tracks running down her cheeks. "So don't pressure me. We can talk about things but don't pull that shit again. Because it won't end well for us." She rubbed furiously at her wet face. "It could end us."

 **Mike** He wanted nothing more than to walk over and take her in his arms. To hug her and kiss her and wipe away the tears with a promise that nothing would come between them and he would do whatever it took to make things better. But this was real life and Mike knew in this moment, they had to be honest and open and let the shitty stuff happen because it was the only way to get through it. So he remained rooted in his spot and tried not to let himself crumble at the sight of her tears.

“This is why I went for the trade,” he said finally, his quiet voice carrying across the small room with ease as he made his confession. “I knew if I stayed, something would happen. I figured it would just be a shit ton of tension and us avoiding each other while I pined after you like a middle school girl and you tried to ignore me. This,” he gestured around them, to their present situation, “this was my worst fear. That you’d somehow fall for me too and we’d get together and it would mess things up for you.” Mike shook his head stubbornly. “I promised myself I wouldn’t let that happen. Ginny, if it comes to my career or yours, it’s going to be yours. I’ll make sure of it. If it’s me or you, it’ll be you. And if it comes to me or your career,” he swallowed thickly. “Then it has to be your career.”

Finally looking up from his spot on the floor, Mike found her gaze with his own and let out a deep breath, refusing to allow his own eyes to well up. “You’re bigger than me, Rookie. I’ve had an incredible career, no doubt. But you’re what legends are made of. I’ve known that for a while and I’m okay with it, really. Because everything that’s going to happen to you, you’re gonna deserve.” He stated his words simply, as if they were common knowledge and nothing else could be expected. “And I swear to you Ginny, I will make sure I don’t get in the way of that. Okay?”

 **Ginny** Even though Ginny never thought she would choose a man over her career, she wanted to protest his words about how it had to be her career over him. She didn't want that. She didn't want a career without having him too. She wanted to shake him and shout that he mattered too. That he mattered more than the game. She shook her head, indistinctly, making it unclear what the movement meant.

She definitely thought he was underselling himself, considering all the achievements he had made, but that didn't seem to be the important point at the moment. Mike could definitely talk a good game to the media, to those that he didn't know and even to those he did, but there was a lot of insecurity underneath all the talk and Ginny felt as if she were only beginning to glimpse some part of that. Still, she resolved to remind him of his achievements at another time. Right now all she could really feel was the painful clench of her heart at his words.

What could he mean, that he wouldn't get in the way? Did he think that them, as a couple, was getting in the way of that? Was he walking away? Ginny's hand dropped from her wet face so she could wrap it around herself in some semblance of a hug, fingers digging into her arm and just swallowing the pain. "Are you breaking up with me?" she asked him, fighting back sobs.

 **Mike** Mike ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. He’d come over basically for a booty call and now they were talking about breaking up. How the hell did the universe work like this? He sighed heavily. “I don’t want to be the reason you don’t get everything you deserve.” He said finally. “I’d rather have you hate me and achieve everything you’ve worked your entire life for then have it be ten years later we think we’re playing house and you resent me for holding you back. Fuck,” he quickly ran a hand over his face, hoping she didn’t see the tear. “Ginny, I love you. This is how fucking much. I refuse to be the thing that fucks up your dream.”

 **Ginny** When Mike finished speaking, Ginny couldn't hold back the sobs anymore. As the cries fell past her lips, she turned away from him and left the bedroom. In the living room, she curled up on the couch, pulling her knees into her chest and crying into them. With how happy they had spent the past two weeks, she didn't expect this. Even an hour ago, they had been so happy, and here he was, willing and ready to walk away. "If you're going to walk away, just go," she said when he followed her into the living room, even if she didn't look up from her knees to see him. Yeah, she had been pissed at him and maybe she had wanted him to leave, but only for the night, not forever. "If this is too hard, if the chance isn't worth it, just leave."

 **Mike**       It pissed him off that she didn’t understand. It pissed him off that she wouldn’t make it easy for him and not let a relationship be an option. It pissed him off that he didn’t have the balls to do it himself. And it pissed him off that he fell for her in the first place and completely screwed both their lives up. Mike followed her back to the living room and forced himself to remain calm. His emotions were running on overdrive and he felt like he could burst from the mix of frustration and fury and sadness. Ignoring the pain, Mike forced himself down onto his shitty knees next to where Ginny sat on the sofa and laid his head against hers. “I wish with everything in me that I could walk away and let you live your life without causing any more issues.” He rasped into her hair. “But I am so damn in love with you that it terrifies me. It’s terrified me since I finally figured it out. You’re it, Ginny. You’re it for me.” He swallowed and gave a single sniff, trying to keep his tears from falling and knowing he was doing a piss poor job. “This is the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life, but I’m not going anywhere until you kick me or decide to come with me. That’s it.”

 **Ginny** Even if she had wanted to resist, there was nothing she could do to resist the way her body moved towards him. When he laid his head against hers, she leaned into him ever so slightly. "I don't want you to go anywhere," she said in her wavering voice. "I don't want you to want to go." It hurt her to hear him say that, almost as if he would rather not love her, that he wished there was some way he didn't feel the way he did so it would be easier for him to leave. Yes, he loved her and he said it often, but what did that mean if he wished he didn't feel that way in the first place? "I want you to love me. I want to love you. I want to be with you. Do you want to be with me?"

 **Mike** To say he wished he hadn’t fallen for her, Mike realized, was incorrect. More than anything, he wished none of this was ever an issue. In a dream world they could be together and it wouldn’t affect her career, nobody would care, and they could be happy without any sort of stress. That was his ultimate wish. And maybe he would tell her that some time, but for now he went with the simplest, purest truth he had. “Ginny, all I want is you. To be with you, to love you, to build a goddamn life with you,” He promised, his voice catching slightly as he joined her tears. “That’s it. You’re all I want.”

 **Ginny**     Ginny unfurled her body from the almost fetal position she had curled up in, reaching out for him. She had never thought she would see Mike Lawson cry and she didn't want to see it ever again. Her hand curled around his neck, pulling him in until their mouths met. The kiss was chaste, compared to many of the ones shared between them, but it was passionate and lingered as her fingers fisted in his hair. Her hand slid forward, palm running over his bearded cheek. "Mike, I want you, more than anything," she said, seriously. She pressed her body forward so it molded against his body, her arm slipping around his shoulders. She might have said the words, but she didn't want to say them now, not with this lingering over them. "Please stay with me. Please don't leave me."

 **Mike** Mike responded to her kiss in earnest, pressing their mouths together with such pressure it hurt a little, but neither could care. The fact that she said she wanted him more than anything held a shit ton of implications, more than he could process at the present moment with so many emotions and thoughts swirling around in his head, combined with the exhaustion of his long day and the crazy evening. He slipped his arms around her waist and maneuvered himself onto the sofa under her, situating them so that Ginny was laying on top of him. The weight of her body felt comfortable and safe- it was a physical reminder she was there. “I’m not going anywhere, ever.” He promised. “Okay Gin? I’m staying right here.”


	16. Say You Won't Let Go

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which it is the morning after and serious talks happen. 
> 
> _'I'm so in love with you  
>  And I hope you know  
> Darling your love is more than worth its weight in gold  
> We've come so far my dear  
> Look how we've grown  
> And I wanna stay with you until we're grey and old  
> Just say you won't let go'_  
> -Say You Won't Let Go, James Arthur

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: None.
> 
> Spoilers: General Pitch season one.

**Ginny** Ginny awoke squished between Mike and the back of the couch, an ache in most of her body. Her neck had a crick from the way she had pressed her face into Mike's neck as she fell asleep last night. Her back hurt from the way Mike's arm was tucked underneath her and her injured arm was propped on Mike's chest but seemed to want to join the pain party and throbbed intensely. She doubted Mike would be feeling much better when he woke up. Despite all that, Ginny didn't want to move.

But she knew she had to. Her alarm would be going off soon, she could tell by the amount of light that she could see along the edge of the drawn curtains. Carefully, she threw a leg over him to the floor and managed to mostly avoid putting any weight on him as she climbed off the couch. She didn't leave him immediately, though. She didn't want to leave him to wake up alone, even if she was just in the other room. She didn't want him to have any question that she was still in this. Instead she ducked down on her knees and stroked her fingers through his beard, then turned his face towards her. Leaning forward, she pecked him on the mouth several times, whispering his name between them. As she saw him come back to consciousness, she let a few of the kisses linger. When his eyes finally opened, she smiled at him, still rubbing her fingers through his beard. "Hey," she said softly, waiting for a few beats to allow him to clear his head enough to understand her next words. "I have to turn off my alarm and make a few phone calls, but I'll be right back, okay?"

When she was sure he understood, she got up and headed into the bedroom, clicking off her alarm and then going into the bathroom to wash her face and brush her teeth. She swallowed down several pain pills before returning to the bedroom and grabbing her phone.

It was less than ten minutes later that she returned to Mike, still laying on the couch. She held out a handful of pills and a cup of water to him. "All I have is Tylenol," she said, slightly apologetic. She was a little concerned that he hadn't gotten up yet, since he was usually quicker to rise than she was. "Back okay?" Instead of climbing back on the couch, she slid herself back onto the floor near his head, her hand immediately going back out to his beard, smoothing some of the kinks out of it.

 **Mike** When morning finally came, Mike was woken by the pressure of several kisses against his mouth. He smiled as a reflex, even in his barely conscious state able to tell it was Ginny. He did his best to reciprocate the kisses as his muscles began to work, murmuring a quiet greeting of his own as Ginny spoke. He gave a nod at her words, touched by the fact that she had bothered to say anything rather than let him wake up alone and confused. And in pain, he quickly realized, as soon as he tried to move. His back was throbbing, neck was killing him, and all four of his limbs ached. He also had a mild headache and his muscles were clearly pissed at being forced to lay on Ginny’s sofa all night. 

Unable to gather the will to move, he waited for her to return and was pleasantly surprised to see pain pills in her hand. Taking the water and Tylenol from her, he swallowed the pills quickly. “Thanks,” he finally said. He’d have to grab some of his stronger meds from his house later, and probably sit in an ice bath and maybe even see some of the PT guys at the Park, but the Tylenol was better than nothing for the moment. “Sore, but manageable.” He assured Ginny of his back, slowly pushing himself up into a sitting position and wincing as a small groan escaped his lips. “’m fine.” He promised, leaning to each side and rolling his neck a bit, satisfied to hear the joins pop and allow him a tiny bit of relief. “I’ll see my guys today, hit the ice bath, and be good as new. This is nothing compared to that slide I took into home last month. Could barely get out of bed the next day.”

He let out a yawn and stretched his arms above his head before standing and offering her his hand to get up from the floor. “I know we need to talk,” he said with a small nod as he moved towards her small kitchen, “But first I need coffee.” Luckily today was a rare one without a game, and practice wasn’t until the afternoon, which meant they had plenty of time to talk about everything. Not before he had some caffeine though. “Who did you have to call?”

 **Ginny**     Ginny knew she should have made them move to the bed last night and she couldn't help but wince at the pop of his joints. Her joints didn't do that and she knew those sounds were anything but good, even if they seemed to help Mike. She was also pretty sure he would never be good as new, but decided against saying that considering everything else going on between them. She let him take her hand but got up from the floor mostly on her own, before following him to the kitchen and leaning against the island.

They definitely did need to talk. Last night had been a whirlwind and Ginny knew she hadn't even begun to process everything that had been done and said. She hated that she had cried in front of him, because she hated to cry in front of anyone, but they had both shown a lot of vulnerability last night. She still felt quite raw but she also felt as if she were in a better state to talk through things with him calmly and rationally. And, surprisingly, Ginny did want to have that talk because she needed things to be open between them, and hopefully they could settle some of the issues that had been brought up the day before.

Ginny rubbed at her injured arm as she watched him start the little coffee pot that came in all the rooms. "Had to cancel a few appointments," she admitted. It was pretty clear the reason she had canceled them was for them to talk. She didn't plan to make it a habit, but this was more important than what else she had planned. She had answered a text from Amelia last night, checking to see if she was okay. Surprisingly, she had seemed somewhat supportive when Ginny said she needed to reschedule the things they had planned for the day. Maybe Amelia was finally coming around. "I'd like to get down to the clubhouse later. Maybe we could do dinner after." Like in a public place. "I also ordered some room service."

 **Mike** Mike raised his eyebrows as she listed everything she’d managed to plan and accomplish in the ten minutes they’d been awake. Meanwhile, he was still coming to terms with his surroundings. Typically he woke up far better than this, but he also typically didn’t sleep on a hotel sofa with another person. He wanted to protest at her cancelling things obviously just for them to sort out their issues, but he honestly couldn’t blame her. Plus, she could make her own decisions and he was planning to do the same thing. Not that he had much to cancel, but he would be putting a few things on hold. “Okay,” he said finally, nodding to indicate he was fine with everything she had just said. “Give me five minutes to make a few calls and we should be good.” There were several questions he had about her plans, like whether or not they should arrive at separate times to Petco, but they could wait until they got to the discussion. 

He let out a breath, almost like releasing some of the tension in the room before walking over to Ginny. Waiting for any indication to stop, he slowly leaned in and pressed a tender kiss to her lips simply because, despite their crazy night, he still wanted to. “Morning.” He murmured. Hearing the coffee pot finish up, he moved to fix them each a cup and then grabbed his phone and gestured to the bedroom, taking her nod and heading to make his calls. As he’d promised, five minutes later Mike reappeared, his teeth also brushed. “Good to go.” He announced, taking a seat on the sofa and a long drink from his mug before setting it on the table and turning to face her. “I’m not really sure how to start.” He finally admitted after a small moment of silence.

 **Ginny** While Mike was gone, room service showed up with the food. They were always quick for Ginny, knowing that she usually had a busy schedule and Ginny always tipped them well for it. She spent the next few minutes eating before Mike reappeared, and she set the food aside so she could focus on him and their conversation. Still, she gestured to the food for him. She had ordered plenty. "Feel free."

She had kind of hoped he would the lead the way and her mind raced with jokes about listening to her elders and him being the wiser one, but instead she pulled a hand through her wild curls. "Okay," she said. "I think there were a lot of different things going on last night, so maybe it would be best to go through one by one." She chewed on her bottom lip for a second as she tried to figure out where to start exactly. "We both have a lot on the line here. And I don't mean just professionally." They could both get hurt by this. She knew how deep this already was for them, and there were so many ways this could go wrong. "But I do have my career to think about. I told you once that I have to choose my words carefully and I have to choose what I do, how I do things just as carefully. One of those things is going to be us. I want to be with you, but we need to be careful. That might mean we won't see each other every day. That we can't touch each other how we want to any time we see each other."

Ginny took a short drink of her coffee, just to give herself a moment to compose her thoughts. "We both know that the media treats women different than men and I think that goes double for female athletes. And maybe even more so for me, with...what I'm doing. I mean, I've seen it. Male ballplayers can sleep with all the groupies and fans and staff that they want, but when my teammates found out about me and Trevor...there were some pretty horrible comments." Which was putting it mildly. "And now, now I have every sports and even mainstream journalist analyzing my every move and you're my teammate. It would be a story, to say the least, if they found out about us."

"I'm not ready for that," she admitted quietly, even though he surely already knew that. "I'm not saying it's going to be forever, but it is for now. And we both need to work on making it that way."

 **Mike**       Mike grabbed a piece of bacon and chewed on it while Ginny spoke, listening attentively to her words. He more than agreed things got out of hand the previous night, and it was best to go through them all. They’d both been high on adrenaline and hormones and emotion and it got pretty messy. But every single thing Ginny was saying was right, and they were things he already knew. Living this lifestyle, having this career, it was harder for her than anyone else, and it wasn’t fair but that didn’t change the fact that it was the way it was and it wasn’t going to change any time soon. He knew that, he respected that, it was the acceptance part he was having trouble with. 

“I’m not used to this,” he finally stated. “You know about how I’ve been since the divorce, and even before that with Rachel, and before Rachel even came into the picture, I’m not used to not being able to do what I want.” He said bluntly. “It’s been a long time since I was a Rookie and had to prove myself. For a while, I’ve been Mike Lawson, and aside from a ring, I’ve gotten what I wanted without much difficulty.” He gestured between them. “This is new. Having to figure out my feelings and want someone I shouldn’t want, and having to deal with that. And even when I wanted to keep things about my life private, I’ve never had a secret like this that I have to hide.” Mike shrugged. “It’s hard for me.” He admitted. “I’m making mistakes, and I really think a lot of them are because I’ve never felt something so strong, let alone so fast. It’s exciting, but intense and confusing and scary as hell. Because I know how much is on the line. I do.” He assured her. “And everything you just said is completely valid and you’re right. But it’s hard for me.”

“I’ve made mistakes. I’m sorry for them. I’m probably gonna make a lot more.” He said honestly. “But I do promise that I’m gonna work on it. And, in this situation, I won’t shake you off. You make the call, I’ll follow your lead and try not to fuck it up too much.”

 **Ginny**     Ginny listened carefully to him. She wanted him to try and understand what it was like for her, but she also wanted to understand his side. She wanted to know how he was feeling. Ginny didn't miss the fact that it was difficult for her partners (all two of them) to keep their relationship private, a secret even. She understood it a lot more now than she did when she was with Trevor. It had been easier for her with him, though. "It's hard for me too," she told him. She didn't want him to think he was alone in how hard it was to keep things quiet. "It hasn't just been your mistakes, they've been mine too. Last night...I wanted that as much as you." She was, of course, referring more to the booty call than everything that came after it. "I've never wanted anything like this, like I want you. I've never felt like this for anyone. And, for me, it's not about wanting to show it off. I just want to be with you." Her features screwed up a little in thought, not quite liking how she was expressing herself but she couldn't figure out how to better say what she wanted him to understand.

"I do wish it could be easier. I wouldn't give up hard with you for easy with someone else, but I do wish being in a relationship with me was easier. I'll try to be more understanding of how difficult it is for you. I can't promise that I will always manage it, but I'll try." She tugged at her brace, something that was quickly becoming a nervous habit. "I don't want our relationship to just be about my needs, about what's best for me, but I also don't know how to have my professional career intact without also having these demands. I've worked too hard to get here and the thought of it all disappearing because of who I choose to be with, it sucks, it's not fair at all, but it is the reality and it's one we both have to live with and it might mean I have to be a little selfish, I guess."

She sighed a little, one corner of her mouth quirking upwards. She didn't know if she was making any sense or if she was just babbling now, so she tried to get her words back on track. "One selfish thing is me not moving in with you. It's not that I don't want to live with you. It would make things a lot easier and I don't think the optics would be too bad." He had made a good case about the optics last night. "And it would make it much easier to be with you and god, it would be wonderful. Waking up to you, coming home to you, the jacuzzi-" She smiled then but found the images were making it difficult for her to remember why it wasn't what she wanted right now. Her hand went to press over her smile as it threatened to take over her face. After a moment, she turned her head so her mouth was visible again. "But, well I like being close to the park and I think, with things still so new with us, it would be good for me to have my own space."

 **Mike**       Mike almost wanted to laugh out of the pure insanity of what she was saying. It truly amazed him how completely unaware of her own greatness Ginny truly was and how much she deserved every good thing happening in her life. “Gin, don’t apologize, okay? Don’t apologize for being the first female in the sport. Don’t apologize for the craziness that comes with it. Everything you’ve got? The fame, the money, the attention- you deserve it all.” He told her. “Right now is the time in your life when you get to be selfish, because it’s never gonna be like this again. You’re new and you’re incredible, of course everyone wants a piece of you.” He advised. “So take full advantage of it and enjoy it. I did, and everyone ever in that position has too. It’s what you’re supposed to do, okay? So don’t worry about being selfish. Don’t worry about me. Just enjoy it, because you deserve to.”

“I’m the type of person that likes to be in front of a crowd. I’m loud, I’m a talker, and when I find something I like, I want to show it off. With you, I kind of just want to show everyone how damn lucky I am that you lost your mind enough to choose me.” He admitted. “I get why we can’t. I respect that. I’m gonna work on the accepting part, but I won’t mess this up for you.” He promised. Moving to the living quarters topic, Mike smiled thinly. Despite how much she said she wanted to be with him constantly, right now, she’d said last night she didn’t want to live with him, and it stung like hell. But he refused to bring it up again. He wasn’t going to be that guy. Hell, he wasn’t going to mention the idea again until she did. She’d made her point clear- he was pushing too hard and too fast. So he was going to drop it. “I get it. I’m sorry I pressured you.” He apologized. “It’s hard for me to remember how much you haven’t done yet. This whole thing is still new- the living on your own, thinking about a future with someone else, whatever.” He frowned. “It’s a lot and I bring it up too much, and I know it freaks you out. It should. You’re 23.” He assured her. “So… if you want to stay at the Omni or get your own place or whatever, I’m with you. And I promise that I’m going to chill.”

 **Ginny**     It wasn't as if Mike was the first person to say she deserved the attention and money she was getting. Hell, it wasn't even the first time Mike had expressed a similar thought but damn did it feel good to hear the sentiment come out of his mouth. Even if he was now her boyfriend, he was still her mentor, someone she had looked up to for a long time, and she felt as if she had made him proud. Despite the overall seriousness of their conversation, she couldn't help the bright smile that brought out her dimples. And perhaps there was a smidgen of pleasure of making her boyfriend say such things as well. 

It couldn't last, not with the heaviness of the conversation, and the brightness on her face slowly dimmed as she listened to what else he had to say. She wasn't sure she had ever felt further apart from him as when he pointed out all the things 'she hadn't done'. Ginny tried not to take offense at the words, but they came off condescending to her. Certainly, there were many things he had done that she hadn't, but Ginny had lived. She had traveled extensively. She had lived, more or less, on her own since she was eighteen. She had her face plastered over billboards across the nation. Yeah, she had never been in love before, she had never been married like Mike, and he was the first, and only, person she had ever wanted to spend her life with. Ginny fell silent as these thoughts ran through her head, but ultimately she decided it wasn't something that needed to be brought up, not now. "Okay," she said, her voice strained. "Thank you."

She couldn't help but wonder, though, if this line of thought Mike had wasn't related to the way he had tried to bypass her and go straight to Amelia when he wanted them to live together. Ginny didn't want to make it into another fight, but she did need to make something clear. "There's something else. I know that Amelia is always going to be sort of there in our relationship, that she's going to be involved in some way, and I know you've already apologized for pressuring me, but I need you to make a promise that decisions about our relationship are going to be made between us, and not using her as an intermediary."

 

 **Mike**       It was kind of annoying, honestly, that she took his words so easily, but Mike knew it wasn’t Ginny’s fault. He had to learn to deal with the fact that he was way more invested in this relationship at the present moment, and that was okay. He was thinking way too far into the future, he cared way too much, and he was crowding her. It was all too damn much and he needed to chill out. This was on him, not her, and he had to learn to deal with it on his own. Mike did his best to ignore the awkwardness of the situation and gave a quick nod. “You’re welcome.”

When the topic of Amelia came up again, he quickly shook his head. “No, hey, that was out of line. I was completely in the wrong.” He assured her. He had realized that mistake almost instantly and needed her to know so. “I shouldn’t have said anything to her. Ginny, I am so sorry for that. Seriously, it was a mistake. Amelia isn’t something you need to worry about, I swear. I won’t talk to her anymore unless we’re together, because there’s no reason for me to. This relationship doesn’t include her. I messed up. It won’t happen again.” If nothing else, that was a promise he knew he could keep. 

Mike let out a small sigh and sat back, running a hand over his face. He realized that over the course of the last twelve hours or so, things between them had changed. He just wasn’t quite sure if it was for the better.

 **Ginny**     Ginny smiled a little at his rush to say he would no longer talk to Amelia. "Hey, I'm not telling you to never look at another woman," she said, teasing lightly. "Amelia's a big part of my life and yeah, I guess after everything that happened when you two were...I have worried a little about you two sharing things." She held up a hand to stop him before he could protest. "It's something I've thought about, but you're a big part of my life too and I don't want you to think you can't talk to her. That wouldn't be a betrayal, not for a 'hey, how're you'. I just need our things to stay between us until we're both okay with bringing it to Amelia...if we have to. And if you are telling me they will, then that's good for me."

Ginny moved from the chair to the couch, pulling her legs up underneath her so they pressed into his thigh. He looked like he needed the touch and frankly, so did she. She snaked her good arm around his shoulders and leaned into him. "I think it's my turn for apologies," she said. "I'm sorry for giving you the cold shoulder, or trying to at least. You know it's not always easy for me to express myself. I'm not always sure I have the right to feel what I do and I'd much rather ignore it than try and deal with it. But I'm glad you stayed and I'm glad you're here now." She nudged him lightly with a small smile. "Anything else I should apologize for?" she joked, before letting the smile fall off her face so he would know she was serious. Pulling back just a little, she let her hand brush through the hair at the nape of his neck. "Anything you'd like to get off your chest?"

 **Mike** Mike shrugged. “That’s just it though, beyond the pleasantries when we pass each other, there’s no reason for us to talk. We never had much in common anyway other than you.” He let out a small sigh, almost an involuntary sign of relief when she touched him. He hadn’t realized just how badly it was needed until she did it, but their skin to skin contact brought him instant relief. “I get it, Gin. It’s okay. The fact that you’re willing to try at all for me means the world,” he said sincerely. “I’m sorry for being such a big baby and needing the reassurance.” He joked lightly, nipping at her nose before pausing to mull over her question. There was one thing he wanted to tell her, he just wasn’t sure if she’d react very well too it, even if him sharing was in the interest of reassuring her of how much he cared. But he wanted to be honest. She deserved that.

“The thing with Amelia… I think you should know why it happened.” Mike finally said slowly. “It was that first night we all went out together as a team. You were dancing with Vorhees and Sonny and I remember sitting with Blip and watching you and thinking… things I knew I shouldn’t be thinking about my Rookie. And I panicked.” He admitted. “So, I bailed and walked out of the club, and the first person I saw at the hotel bar outside, was….” Mike frowned. “I’m not telling you this to make you feel shitty. I just, I wanted you to know that she was always a distraction. And you never have to worry about her, because for me it’s always been you, Ginny. Even when I tried to fight it and didn’t want to acknowledge it, it was still you.”

 **Ginny** "Well, you are a big baby," she teased back. "But I understand why you might need the reassurance." She was more serious with her second statement. She realized she didn't always make him feel at ease in their relationship, that sometimes she shied away from his affection, that sometimes she seemed unsure. She also understood that he thought he was in this relationship deeper than she was. She cared about him, she might even love him. Certainly sometimes she felt as if she did, as if she could say those words and mean them. But he was her first serious relationship (even though she had been with Trevor longer, he had never been serious for her). If he did feel like he needed reassurance, she didn't blame him, and she wanted him to know that. She also wanted to try and give that reassurance to him. So she did. She cradled his face in her one good hand and leaned forward to kiss him on the mouth, trying to put everything she felt for him- passion, caring, love, affection- into the kiss.

When she pulled back, she didn't go far, sliding her hand down to his chest and leaning into him as she listened to him talk about the first time he slept with Amelia. She had conflicting emotions about it. On the one hand, she completely understood why he ran away from whatever he might have felt watching her dance in those moments. That had been very early on in even knowing each other and Ginny knew she wouldn't have been ready to offer him anything more, anything like what they had now. In a weird way, it also made her happy, that she knew he had wanted her, even if maybe it had been in a less deep way than it was now. "I'm not mad," she told him slowly. She felt a little sorry for Amelia since she still thought Amelia had caught feelings, but she didn't want to make Mike feel bad, any worse than he already did. "It's good to know you've always been a dirty perv about me." She smiled a little at the joke, tugging on his beard a little. "I think I'm okay to leave this behind. Leave Amelia and Rachel and Noah and Trevor behind. I mean that...it's fine if you want to talk about them, but I'm not going to let any of them be a part of this, a part of us."

 **Mike** Mike leaned into the kiss and let out a small sigh at the reprieve it brought. God, he could kiss her for eons and never get sick of it. “I’m your dirty perv,” he smiled against her lips, enjoying the feel of her soft hands against his face. She loved the beard, he knew it, it was only a matter of getting her to admit it out loud. And shit, he loved it when she played with it. “That sounds good.” He liked the idea of leaving their exes in the past. They’d talked about damn near everything that could be discussed from their pasts, made their peace individually and together, and there was no point in going back to them over and over just to reopen old wounds. It was time to move forward- together.

“So now that that’s all out of the way, you asked a minute ago if I had any complaints.” He reminded her, shifting forward and squinting his eyes. “And I do have one I’d like to make.” Mike reached a hand out and slid his fingers just under the hem of her pajama top, stroking the skin of her hip softly. “I came over here last night and wound up having damn near world war 3, when my only intent was to eat my girlfriend out.” He said quietly, cocking an eyebrow at her. “Any ideas on how we might be able to rectify that?”

 **Ginny** Ginny felt a little flutter of panic when Mike mentioned having a complaint. She didn't mind if he wanted to bring something up but she had thought maybe they were done with the fighting and the serious shit. Of course, the moment his fingers touched her skin, she knew that his complaint was about to be anything but serious. She laughed out loud, shaking her head at him. "I might," she replied, dropping her hand to his chest and letting it fall low on his belly. "First," she started, her voice low and husky. "I'm going to heat up this food." She giggled, squeezing at his hip before sliding away from him and off the couch, collecting the trays so she could stick them in the microwave. "Because if I'm going to let you fuck me after we shower, we're going to need the energy." She might have suggested shower sex, but she didn't want to put the pressure on Mike's knees or back, especially after they crashed on the couch. She pulled a hand through her hair after she managed to get the trays into the tiny microwave and start it up. "It might be good for you bring some things over. I'll try to make some room in a drawer for you."

 **Mike**       Mike groaned loudly and dropped his head back in anguish. “You’re killin’ me, Smalls.” He called after her, waiting a minute before pushing up from the couch and following her. Granted, he was hungry too, but still. He would gladly fuck her first and eat after. Knowing Ginny though, he shouldn’t have expected anything less. “Forget it, I might as well just head out. I shouldn’t have to put up with abuse like this.” Mike teased, coming to stand behind her and slipping his arms around her waist. He pulled back just a bit when she mentioned making room for his stuff. It sounded perfect to him, actually, like the exact solution to compromise the moving issue. But he didn’t want her to think she needed to. “Babe, you don’t have to do that. I swear, I’m fine with slowing things down and letting you have your own space.” He promised, helping to remove some of the food from the microwave and placing it on the counter before refilling both their coffee mugs. “Seriously.”

 **Ginny**     It was kind of fun to tease him. It amazed her a little that she could, that her mild teasing had any affect on Mike Lawson. She laughed at him claiming he would leave, even as he wrapped his arms around her. "What abuse?" she asked, innocently, before slowly grinding her ass back into his groin. That was all she gave before she stepped away from him to pop open the microwave. "Want me to get senior protective services on the line?" At his protests of her giving up some of her space, Ginny stepped away from the food and wrapped her arm around his waist to pull him against her. "Hey, I want you in my space," she said, seriously but with a soft smile. She pressed a soft kiss to his mouth but pulled away from him before he could try to turn it into fucking in the kitchen. She was starving and she focused back on the food, cutting open an over easy egg and mixing it with some hash browns. "It's just one drawer, probably not even a whole one. Half a drawer. I think I can make the sacrifice."

 **Mike**       Mike rolled his eyes. She was a smartass, and what was really incredible was that for some wild reason she seemed to think she could outdo him in that area. “Don’t bother, I’ll just press the button on my Life Alert necklace,” he said dryly, reaching his hand out to slap her ass after she stepped away. Giving a defiant look, as if to tell her she should have known better than to tease him, he moved towards the coffee maker. He liked the sound of having a drawer at her place though. He liked it a lot. “Okay, as long as you’re cool with it,” He conceded with a small smile. “Not like I’ll be wearing much when I’m over anyway…” As much of a joke as it might have seemed, Mike was actually quite serious. “And you know, since I’ll have a drawer at your place, I could probably return the favor,” he said, taking a bite of his own breakfast. “I’ll even let you have the entire drawer, since I’m so much more generous. And you can pick the drawer you want.” Mike smiled victoriously, obviously proud of himself for having outdone her.

 **Ginny**     It was good to see things returning to normal between them, the banter and the happiness. There were a few moments that morning that she had thought something had been damaged between them. But they were resilient, it seemed, and Ginny was glad for it. She jumped a little at his hand at her ass. She had gotten used to it on the field but it had a bit of a different connotation here in her kitchen. She rolled her eyes at his mention of being naked at her place. "I'm not running a nudist colony, Mike," she retorted. She raised her brows at his oh so generous offer of a drawer. "Hey, a week ago you were offering me a whole bedroom and now I'm downgraded to just a drawer? Man, are you pissed at me or what?" She grinned at him, not quite willing to let him win just yet.

 **Mike**       “You sure as hell better not be running a nudist colony, Baker.” He frowned. “When it’s just me and you, I really don’t see why we need to bother with clothes though.” Mike said with a shrug. “Or separate showers. It’s just a waste.” Popping a slice of fruit in his mouth, he sent her a playful glare. “Oh no, you turned me down one too many times. You lost your chance to shack up with me in sin.” He informed her between bites. “Keep up with the quips and you’ll lose the drawer and wind up with a crate outside.” He reached a hand out and swiped a bit of syrup from the corner of her mouth with his thumb, licking the sticky topping off of his skin and then popping a kiss onto the empty spot on her face. “You’re kind of a pain in the ass, you know that Rook?”

 **Ginny** Ginny held up her hands in defeat as he threatened her with the crate outside his place. "Touchy," she teased around a mouthful of pancake. She felt at ease now, as if the past twelve hours of madness hadn't been. But it had, and in a way, she thought it made them stronger. She grinned widely at his last comment, nodding her head. "Yup," she said, popping the 'p'. She turned to him and wrapped an arm around his neck, fingers weaving into the hair at the nape of his neck. "But you knew that and still fell for me, so what does that say about you, Cap?" Before he could respond, her mouth descended on his, her body leaning into him. "I think it's time for that shared shower, what do you say?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! Thanks so much for reading. This is Ashley here and I am looking for an additional partner to play Bawson with me, because I cannot get enough of them. If anyone is interested in doing writing as Mike with me as Ginny, please connect with me on tumblr @ trenchcoatstories.


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